The Soul of Poseidon's Wrath
by Ella Raven
Summary: Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon, or Ella Raven, is a pirate captain with a somewhat mysterious past. She sets off to find Jack Sparrow and his compass, but instead finds herself intertwined into a grand adventure. COMPLETED!
1. Chapter 1

Alright lovelies, this is my first story, so be nice, please? ) ... well, i suppose the only thing to do now would be to read...

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that is recognizable from the movies.. however, I do own Ella Raven, her ship, and her crew.

The Soul of Poseidon's Wrath

Chapter One

When I heard the news, I shook my head in disbelief. Jack Sparrow – sorry – _Captain_ Jack Sparrow is – was – a living legend. Or does this just make him a legend? The streets of Tortuga were abuzz with the news. Jack Sparrow... dead? Barbossa... alive? Everyone in the town hated Barbossa for what he did to Jack, and they hated him even more, now that he was alive and Jack had perished. And besides that fact, people were scared. They feared that the end of the supposed "Golden Age of Piracy" was stealthily drawing nearer and nearer. It was true: Jack Sparrow was one of the last good pirates to sail the Caribbean, unlike those filthy groveling excuses that you see nowadays, sailing in their dinghies. I would know, for I am – or should I say "was" – a pirate. I've been hidden away, disguised as a mere barmaid, in Tortuga for the past seven years. Back those seven years, I was twenty years old and newly captain of one of the finest vessels to sail the Caribbean – Poseidon's Wrath.

The Poseidon's Wrath I inherited from my grandfather, who was a merchant sailor who had secretly always dreamed of becoming a pirate. However, he had a large family to think of, a family that was depending on him, and he knew his dream would never become a reality. But just because his dream could never become reality for him didn't mean that it could become real for someone else, namely myself. From the time that I was a mere child, my grandfather taught me all that there was to know about ships, sailing, and piracy in general. I read stories about Blackbeard and Captain Morgan, all of those famous pirates in storybooks. Soon, my grandfather's dream was passed on to me. I lived and breathed the ocean, and from the time that I was a small babe I never feared its depths. The ocean was my sole confidante, my best friend as a child and continued to be.

What I didn't know was that my grandfather had kept a fine ship hidden for years. He never sailed it, never brought it out of the secret stone cove that he kept it in. Then, out of the blue one day, he took me there. He leaned down to me and told me, "My child, I have kept this ship hidden for seven years. No one has seen her, heard of her, or even dreamed of her. I can feel that soon, something will happen to me, and I want you to have her. You are old enough, and I have taught you all I know. Take care of her, and she will take care of you."

The next day, he died.

Within a few years, I had a reputation to match the most infamous ship of my time, the Black Pearl, and its captain, Jack Sparrow. I myself had dueled with the Pearl's mutinous first mate, Hector Barbossa once or twice and I must say that he is everything that people say about him and then worse.

So it came as no surprise to me that we found out that Barbossa had gotten himself killed for the second time, several months after he had supposedly set out to find Jack, with Jack's mates Will and Elizabeth. (The whores of Tortuga are ridiculous gossips.) We had also heard that said mates of Jack Sparrow had had a lovers' spat, supposedly about said handsome pirate captain, but we hadn't heard much else.

It was Barbossa's death (again) that prompted me to set out on an escapade that I had been planning for the seven years that I had been in hiding, but there was a catch. (There's always a catch.) I needed something that, at that particular point in time, wasn't very easily accessible. Hell, it could possibly not be accessible at all: Jack Sparrow's compass. There was something that I wanted, something that someone stole from me those seven years ago. And I'd be damned if I didn't get it back.

I went into the tiny closet that some may call a bedroom on the tippy-top floor of the brothel/bar that I worked and lived in. I never had any male guests because I didn't sell myself (to the disappointment of several drunken males a night). In my closer – sorry – room, the largest piece of furniture was a grand mahogany armoire – the only large thing that I took with me from my ship. I opened it and crawled into the very back, suddenly stumbling upon what I was looking for: a shallow trunk filled with men's clothing and effects, including an assortment of rings that I had acquired through the years.

I slipped out of my raggedy dress and wretched corset (damn the man who came up with those things to Davy Jones's locker) and pulled on my worn, familiar breeches, brown, and an ivory colored shirt, baggy in the arms, just as I like it. Then went on a headscarf, purple, tied around my head to keep the hair out of my face. Then went on a belt, complete with various forms of weaponry, several rings, a rag tied around my wrist and arm to hide a certain tattoo, and finally a necklace – a large canary diamond with my ship's picture carved into the surface... from my grandfather.

I turned toward the full-length mirror on the door of the armoire and studied the woman reflected in it. Seven years had been good to me – my figure was curvy and seductive like my Spanish mother. I had also inherited her flawless skin, a rich sandy color that was more often than not smudged with dirt, and chocolate brown curly hair, currently down to the small of my back. But if it was anything about my looks that shocked people, it was my eyes. They were the only thing that I had inherited from my English father, being a light, icy blue.

Giving a satisfied smirk at the mirror, I crept down the stairs and found a crowd in the bar, although it was but late morning. I paused for a moment – after all, it had been seven years since I'd last used my true identity. Seven years was a long time to be randomly "lost at sea", or should I say, just plain "lost".

I debated with myself for a few moments, and on a couple occasions I almost wanted to run back to my room and hide, and forget this whole "reappearance" nonsense, go back to my job and live the rest of my life simply. But then again, I knew that I couldn't. First of all being that pirate was in my blood. I longed for the open sea, the wind in my hair, and a ship's wood under my fingers. Characteristically, I wasn't one to back down from opposition, so I chose a path other than "running and hiding".

I sauntered into the room, walked up to the bar and demanded some rum. (I hadn't had rum in seven years, and damn, I was going positively mad.) I got my rum and sighed with happiness. Seven years is a _long_ time to be without one's favorite drink. But just as I had lifted the tin mug to my lips for the first sip, a huge cheer went up from a secluded corner of the room. Slowly, I turned, to meet the smiling faces of what was left of my crew.

"Ella! Ella Raven... where have you been?" my first mate, Wesley Brennan, yelled from his chair. In response, I turned around, rum in hand, and shouted as if I was on my ship again, screaming orders to the crew: "That's _Captain_ Ella Raven to you, ye scabrous dogs... ye savvy?" And with that, I lifted the mug to my lips, letting the slightly sweet liquid course down my throat.

Then, a little quieter, I added something to my outburst. "And if ye think I'm making a reappearance all by me onesies, that's where ye be mistaken. The Poseidon's Wrath sets sail on the morrow!" With that, the crew cheered and I was toasted with the remaining rum. All my crew wanted to hear what I had been up to, and I needed to hear the seaman's gossip that was going around. But with all the commotion that my crew was making, I happened to catch a slight glimpse of a mysterious figure, shrouded in shadows, sitting in the darkest corner of the bar.

soooo.. what did you guys think? It's my first attempt at a fanfic, so please be easy on me ) review and let me know if i should keep this up & continue, or just what you thought of the story. thanks so much!

Captain Ella.


	2. Chapter 2

i love reviews ever so muchh 33 so keep 'em coming! And thanks to all who have reviewed – you guys are amazing... alright, now on with it...

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize from the PotC movies.

Chapter Two

That night, I very drunkenly swaggered up to my room, accompanied by two new crewmembers. Once there, I grabbed the door frame for support and directed two men to pick up the armoire, so that it could be moved back into its original position in the captain's quarters of my ship. These crewmembers were recent additions, and I had decided early on in the night to request for them to carry my armoire for one reason: I needed to prove their loyalty.

It had turned out that my whole crew had survived except two, to my delight. They were the best, the strongest, and the most agile in battle, and most of all, they were like my family, not to mention being the only crew in the Caribbean to sail under a woman (namely myself). But I had had a... problem... with new crewmembers in the past, and these new additions needed to prove themselves.

They picked up the armoire and headed down the stairs, and out of the back entrance to the bar, as I followed behind, swaying and nearly tripping in my "drunken" state, and mumbling nonsense words on my breath. "Pineapples, pine... cones! Pine... hmm... oooh! Tangerines!" One, the stupider one of the two, turned and glanced at me, in all my faux-drunken glory. He proceeded to turn to the other man and say, "ey... the lass is too drunk to even walk rigt... she wouldn't know if we stole this.. whatchamacallit... and left er here... would she?" This is what I had been suspecting all along, but now I just needed to figure out if the other was trustworthy. Luckily for me, neither of the men noticed a dangerous glint in my eye and how I reached for my pistol and fiddled with it.

"Nah..." the other man responded, "The lass is our captain, we can't do something like tha to our captain." And with that, they began to fight over my armoire. Back and forth, back and forth, it was all getting tiresome – they were fighting like my nieces and nephews over a pilfered cake or the like. So finally, I pulled out my pistol and shot the man that suggested stealing said armoire. He fell to the ground, dead, and the other looked at me in shock. "ey mate, welcome to tha crew," I said with a smirk. And with that, I grabbed one end of my cumbersome piece of furniture, resumed my normal walk, and sang under my breath, "an really bad eggs... a pirate's life for me..."

The next day, I was forced to go out, looking for new crewmembers. Wesley, my first mate, and I set up a table on a busy street on Tortuga. It was pathetic means, yes, but we only needed one person, and I was convinced that someone would come to us, instead of myself working my ass off, trying to find that one person. Not that I had anyone in mind, or anything.

So we sat. And sat, and sat, until finally Wesley said, "Captain... Ella... if you don't mind me asking..." And at that point I had begun to wish he had just cut to the chase, so I said, "Wes, stop beatin around tha bush. Come out with it, mate." And finally he said, "What are we sailing to look for? It can't be just anything to make you come out of hiding after seven years... there must be something! Can't you tell me? I am your first mate, after all. And the crew and I have stuck by you all these years... you have no idea how hard we looked for you after that storm and everything..."

Now there is something about Wesley that I suppose I should tell you. Wesley is the son of a great English noble, and I won't tell you which one, because to be honest, I really don't know. But he escaped to Tortuga to "find a different life" and that was just about the time that I was looking for my crew. I took him on, finding him honest and trustworthy, and a good sailor to have on deck, and eventually promoted him to first mate. He never really could let go of his refined English grammar though, so you could pick him out of a hundred pirates when blindfolded.

I didn't really want to tell Wesley what we were sailing after, because I knew that he would deem the mission "preposterous" and would try to convince me to go after something else, or just roam the seas aimlessly, and I didn't really feel like shooting him. So instead, I replied simply to his question, "Well, mate, it be for me to know, and ye to find out soon enough. Savvy?" His expression turned cloudy and he slowly nodded. I knew that he felt that I couldn't trust him because I wouldn't tell him, so I was forced to continue. "Look... Wes. We both know tha I trust ye more than any other man on me crew, so don't be tha way. I'll tell ye when I'm sure of our coordinates and such."

At that very moment, a familiar man made his way to our little table. I looked up, and what I saw made my jaw drop. "Captain Ella Raven, pleased to meet your acquaintance. I was sitting in the corner of the bar you were in last night, and couldn't help but wonder if you needed extra men on your crew, as I would be delighted to serve under you," the man told me. He was quite handsome, with dark, wavy hair, sandy skin, and blue eyes, with a bit of brown around the centers. I knew these eyes well, as I had looked into them plenty of times as a child. "ello, Andres. Nice ta see ye again," I said with a smirk.

"Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez! Is that really you? What are you doing here.. and where have you been? Mother nearly died with worry looking for you after you "disappeared" the day of Grandfather's death. We assumed you had killed yourself with grief!" the man said. "Ah, no, Andres. It's Ella Raven now. None of tha Gabriella Rosario Mercedes nonsense. I'm a pirate captain, dear brother, I don't need a foofy princess name, ye know. An don't look so shocked. Ye knew it was comin. Grandfather gave me a ship an I took it," I said, my smirk growing into a smile now. "Now, Andres. Would ye like to serve under yer baby sister now, on a pirate ship no less, because if ye don't, ye best be on yer way. I need ta find a crewmember."

"Gabriella, won't you please come home? Mother would be overjoyed to see you again, and look at how you've changed! Please, dear sister. None of our family has seen you in over 10 years. We've missed you," Andres pleaded. "No, Andres," I said firmly, "I ave no wish ta see me family. Me crew is me family now. Besides, Mother would try ta marry me off ta some noble with a rod up his ass. Now do ye want be on me crew or not?"

Andres looked hurt for a moment, and opened his mouth to say something until I cut him off. "And none of this 'Gabriella' business. I be Ella Raven now, not hoity-toity Gabriella. Tha be behind me now," I said. "Fine, Captain Ella, I would be honored if you would let me join your crew," Andres said after a moment. My face spread into a wide smile, "Well, mate, welcome ta tha Poseidon's Wrath."

&&&

Once I had gotten enough supplies for our journey, I led my crew down to where I had hidden my grand ship: a rock cove that was abandoned long ago. It was the perfect height, perfect everything to store my ship. I had been on it often since I had hidden it; sometimes I would sleep there when I was missing the sea and my previous life. I walked into my cabin, looking for a spare cloth to wrap around my hand, because I had gotten cut loading supplies. Instead of a cloth, however, I found a beautifully made sword and pistol, along with a leather holster, of sorts, on my desk. "Why ello," I said, "Where did ye come from?" And just as I was about to reach out to grab it, a hand reached out and grabbed mine.

"I wouldn't do tha, mate. Now keep quiet for a minute until we talk about a few things, ye savvy?"

&&&

There! Chapter Two! Personally, I really liked this one. What did you guys think of Andres? I know he seems really stuck-up right now, but remember – he's just found his baby sister after 10 or so years, so give the guy a break!

REVIEWWW BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME 33 and i love you all.

ell.


	3. Chapter 3

Alright mates.. 'tis time for CHAPTER THREE! Thanks 'ta everyone tha' has reviewed so far, it really means a lot 'ta me. Now.. you know what 'ta do –

See chapter one for a fabulous disclaimer. You all know the rule anyway, but if you need to be reminded, go there.

Chapter Three

I studied the calloused hand that had a death grip on my wrist. There were rings on every finger, and the hand itself was sun-kissed, but smudged with dirt. A dirty rag wound around his palm, like my own, and I could barely make out a tattoo right above his wrist. My mind was racing: who is this? Is my crew planning a mutiny _already_? What am I going to do to get out of this?

The owner of the hand that I had been studying suddenly jerked on my wrist so I whirled around in a circle and was facing him. The man that currently was slowly draining the blood out of my fingers was actually quite handsome. He had a tan face, also smudged with dirt, with almost girlish prominent cheekbones, dark brown eyes lined with kohl, and a moustache and beard, the beard being plaited into two tiny braids with beads on them. His hair was a tangled mess of dreadlocks and braids, along with an assortment of feathers, beads and trinkets that clinked together merrily and sparkled in the bit of sunshine that came in from my cabin window.

He smirked, showing off an assortment of gold teeth. "Like what you see, lass?" he said to me. At once I knew who this man must be. A man that is constantly talked about for his unhealthily large ego and famed good looks: it was Jack Sparrow. Though I had never met him (I had encountered the Pearl when it was captained by Barbossa), I had heard all of the stories, and believed none. As far as I was concerned, Jack Sparrow and his "famed adventures" was a load of bullshit. But that was until I saw him. Suddenly, these men looked as if he could've sacked Nassau port without firing a single shot, or escape the hangman's noose. My mind was going a million miles a minute, trying to figure out what to think of the strange man before me.

All the while, he had raised one eyebrow, his mouth still in its characteristic smirk, and was studying me right back. I had been concentrating to such an extent that I hadn't noticed before, and I quickly realized that it wasn't the most comfortable situation.

Finally, he spoke. "Lass," he said, "Go and get yer captain fer ol' Jack Sparrow, alrigh'? I be needin' 'ta have a talk with 'im." I smiled weakly and tried to make myself the picture of a nervous schoolgirl, trembling with fear, and I scurried out the door, letting it close quietly behind me. I waited outside the door for a minute, smirking to myself.

After waiting for a moment, I sauntered in, walking right up to him saying, "'ello Sparrow. You've made me job a 'ell of a lot easier, and I thank ye. Now, why don't ye sit down. We 'ave so much 'ta discuss." The look on Sparrow's face was priceless: the very picture of realization and shock. He sat down in one of the ornate wooden chairs in front of my desk (I had gotten them from one Spanish ship or another). I sat with my feet on the desk itself, fiddling with my necklace on its chain. Finally, my guest spoke. "Yer 'tha captain of this ship?" he inquired. "Aye, mate, this be 'tha Poseidon's Wrath, 'tha fastest ship in 'tha Caribbean, an' I be 'er captain," I stated. Sparrow looked startled and started to say, "Nah, mate, I've heard of faster... 'tha Black Pearl-- " "Be at Davy Jones' locker, Sparrow," I finished for him. Suddenly, he just seemed to droop. His head fell and he looked at his hands in his lap.

"Aye, love, ye be right. 'Tha Pearl be with Davy Jones, an' I can't very well bargain me soul again. Me ship be gone, forever," he said sadly. I knew what it felt like, losing a ship. The Poseidon's Wrath had been taken from me for a short while, but it was all the more painful, because I was being held in its brig. "Well, Sparrow, I have an offer fer ye. Ye can take it or leave it," I told the mourning man, "I be needin' somethin' of yers, jus' fer a short while, an' in return, ye can be on me crew, possibly even up fer a promotion some day. And Sparrow," I told him as he finally looked up at me, "We'll be gettin' ye a ship."

His brown eyes widened as he took in what I had said. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, love," he told me, "What makes ye think that I be wantin' 'ta sail on yer ship?" "Well, Sparrow, ye haven't been on a ship this fast since ye lost the Pearl, wha' was it, 'bout a year ago? An' we be findin' you a ship of yer own, probably. Take it or leave it, Sparrow, I don't 'ave all day, ye know," I responded with a smirk. I knew that he couldn't pass up an opportunity to be on a ship that reminded him of his Pearl. It just wasn't possible.

"Alrigh', love, I accept."

"Good, Sparrow, welcome aboard. But I 'ave one condition. None of this "love" business. I ain't one of yer whores in Tortuga, I be yer captain, and ye shall address me as such. Captain Ella, or Captain Raven, whichever ye be preferin'," I told him. His eyes had momentarily widened as I had spoken my name. "Ohh, so ye have heard of me then? Come on, Sparrow, tell me what ye've heard," I teased.

"Captain Ella Raven. I 'eard that she's a pretty lass, but with a temper that could scorch even 'tha best pirate. She's ruthless, but doesn't kill without cause. She's said 'ta 'ave 'tha biggest plunder in 'tha whole Caribbean, but suddenly, 'tha lass disappeared. 'Er ship an' everythin'... gone. It's been seven years since I 'eard of you, Ella, but where'd ye go?" he said with a smirk.

I returned the smirk and responded, "Ah, Sparrow, tha' all be true, but I won't be tellin' ye where I was all those years. Why give away me secret when I might need it somewhere along 'tha line?" And with that, I walked to the door and paused. "Sparrow, how did you get on my ship? How did you find it?" "Ah, Ella, I won't be tellin' ye how I got on, but I will say I 'stumbled upon' yer ship 'ere. Why give away me secret when I might need it somewhere along 'tha line?" he said mockingly.

I continued on my way out the door and up to the helm to steer as I yelled, "That's **Captain** Ella Raven. **CAPTAIN!** Why can't anyone bloody remember tha'?"

After several moments at the helm, I realized that we didn't have bearings, namely because I forgot to get Sparrow's compass. "SPARROW!" I bellowed, "GET YER ASS OVER 'ERE!" He obligingly sauntered up to my place at the helm and gave me a smile, though there was a questioning look in his eyes. "'ello again. I be needin' somethin' of yers... temporarily. Yer compass, may I... use... it?" Jack Sparrow's face suddenly contorted into one of anger. "Wha' does everyone bloody want with me compass! What if I don't feel like givin' up me bloody compass? An' wha' tha' 'ell do ye want with Davy Jones's 'eart anyway?" I must admit, I was surprised. Sparrow normally seemed nonchalant, very laid back, but that was until he completely lost it, over a compass. But since he had demanded my reasoning for wanting the compass, I figured the best thing to do would be to tell him exactly why I needed the damned thing.

"WES! COME TAKE THE HELM!" I shouted to Wes, who was, at that moment, tangled in the rigging. "Sparrow, come with me," I said as I looped a rope around one of the pegs, keeping the ship in place until Wesley untangled himself. I led Sparrow back down to my quarters, where he sat in a chair as I rummaged around in my armoire, looking for something. Suddenly, I found it. It was a small chest, (**A/N: its like shoebox sized, just to give you an idea**), ornately carved and with a lock on it the size of a small colony. I gazed at it longingly for a few moments. I knew exactly what was in there. Someone had taken something precious to me seven years ago, put it in that chest, then gave it to me and hid the key, so I'd always have to live with having the chest, but not really having what was inside.

"Get comfortable, Sparrow. This tale's a long one," I said, still looking at the chest as I walked over and sat down facing him.

&&&

Well... what did you guys think of this one? Jack is back and that makes me oh-so-happy.. because he definitely needed to be in this chapter. And just so you all know: Ella probably won't turn out to be Mary-Sue-esque. Alrighty?

**-- ell.**


	4. Chapter 4

Alrightayyy loves.. thanks for all the reviews, you guys make my life complete. I am sooooooo sorry that I haven't updated recently... my computer was being an idiot and crashed... I honestly will never abandon this story – captain's honor. Welll.. you know what to do: read and review and i'll love you forever. :-)

If you want a handy-dandy, nifty disclaimer, see chappie numero uno.

Chapter Four

I studied the chest in my lap for a long moment before starting my tale. No one on my crew knew it, except those that were with me during it, and Wesley. It was strange to have to recount it to someone... an almost complete stranger at that. The chest itself, besides being the sole purpose of my coming out of hiding, was a beautiful piece of furniture. It was intricately carved with flags bearing the Jolly Roger flapping in a wooden breeze, and ships much like the Poseidon's Wrath. It almost brought tears to my eyes looking at it – so many things had been taken away from me during my life, but this one that is rightfully mine to have forever, so I was determined to get it back, no matter what it cost me.

I quickly wiped away the tears forming in my eyes, put on a brave, stony face, and lifted my head stubbornly to meet Jack Sparrow's questioning gaze. My tale was going to leak to Sparrow somehow, through my crew or someone else, a merchant or something that had heard it, but I knew that I'd much rather have him hear the real story, no elaborations and in its entirety, from me.

Jack had been studying me all the while that I was wrapped up in my personal dreamland. His head was slightly cocked to the left, his eyebrows were furrowed, and his eyes held a questioning gaze as they swept over my face and the chest in my lap. He was fumbing with the trinkets in his hair, wrapping them around his fingers and unraveling them again, making a faint tinkling noise that broke the silence that had settled upon us.

"Not many know this," I began in an accent that was now foreign to me, having not used it in years – a high-class English one, with a subtle Spanish undertone, "but I was born Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon. My mother was a governess to a wealthy English family in Port Royal. When my mother got pregnant, she married her beau at the time, a Spanish man by the name of Antonio Leon, who thought that he was my real father until his death, when I was eleven.

However, the people that spoke otherwise were actually telling the truth. You're probably wondering what the truth was, or rather, **who** the truth was, and I'll tell you. A wealthy, married, neighboring man of high standing had taken fancy to my mother. Obviously, he being both married and of high social status, and my mother being single, a governess, and poor, nothing could ever come of their relations. Or so they thought. Nine months later, Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon was born with features that puzzled some, and horrified others: blue eyes and the delicate features of a well-bred Englishwoman.

As a result, during my childhood I was sort of an outcast. I was a bright child, and the family that my mother worked for oversaw my education as well as that of their children, so I was fortunate enough to, like my mother, receive an education. However, when my stepfather died, my mother sent me to live with her parents, Mariel and Pedro Rodriguez, who lived on the far side of the island. I hardly ever saw my mother, or my seven other little siblings again.

My grandfather educated me in the ways of the sea, being a merchant sailor himself. I learned of ships, sailing, and most of all, pirates. I learned about the Code, Captain Morgan, Blackbeard and all of the greats. My grandfather, one day, gave me a ship that he'd hidden for seven years, and this necklace," I said, holding out the large diamond around my neck to demonstrate.

"The next day, my grandfather died, leaving me with my grandmother and a fine ship. My grandmother went to live with relations, so I decided to take my life into my own hands, for once, and get myself a crew. I would put my knowledge to good use and become a pirate. My dream was to become one of the greatest: I wanted everyone in the Caribbean to know my name, maybe even the world.

This was quite a large dream to fulfill, and I was only twenty years at the time, but I got myself a crew that would respect me, and a first mate that I trusted with my life. I pillaged and plundered my way until I got a reputation that could match your fair Black Pearl, and you yourself, Captain Sparrow. I was nearly on top, my cache of treasure was enormous, and I was living well. The only things that I needed were my ship under my feet, the helm under my fingertips, and the wind in my hair. I was finally happy.

But of course, as they say, all good things come to an end, and it certainly happened to me... in greater ways that I could have ever predicted.

To this day, I don't really know how it happened, or how I let it happen, but I had fallen in love with my first mate, Matthew Woods. He was ruggedly handsome, had a smooth as silk English accent, and I could trust him with anything, or so I thought. I had almost given him as much control over the ship as I had, which turned out to be my demise. One night, he drugged my wine at dinner and I was held captive in the brig for 3 weeks, while we were sailing toward a destination unknown to me.

Three weeks after I was initially mutinied, I was dragged out of the brig by two of my burlier former crewmembers, which was unfortunate, because if they had been scrawny I would have probably been able to stage some sort of escape. They weren't, however, because Matthew knew me all too well. I was put in shackles and dragged into a longboat, and rowed down a series of canals until we got to some sort of hut in the woods.

I was scared out of my mind, but I never once showed it, because I knew that the longer I stayed cold and unresponsive, the longer that I would live. I was dragged into this hut, and met by a woman. This woman introduced herself as Tia Dalma. She could have been beautiful, once, but now her ebony skin was scarred, and her dark eyes bloodshot. She had tangled, knotted hair, much like yours, Jack, and she wore a tattered dress. She looked at me sympathetically, which made me fear what was to come, even more than the various jars of eyeballs suspended from the ceiling.

Matthew moved toward Tia Dalma and whispered something in her ear, then dropped a large sack into her outstretched palm, probably by way of payment. With that, quick as a flash, Tia Dalma moved toward me, muttered a few words, and thrust her hand at my abdomen. I flinched and covered my stomach, involuntarily, and gasped as I looked up and saw that Tia Dalma had done something that I only thought could happen in fairy tales: she was holding a limp, ghostly form of myself. It was me, alright, down to the very last ring and trinket. My eyes were closed, and I was a misty gray color, almost like a ghost.

Matthew's cold voice broke me of my horrified reverie. "Ella, darling, did you expect anything good would come to you if you continued the life that you were living? You trust too many; you practically give yourself to people. And now look where it's got you: shipless, crewless, and soulless." As Matthew was speaking, Tia Dalma had went into a room, off of the main one, and had come back with a chest. _My_ chest, to be exact. She neatly folded the ghostly figure, placed it in the box, and shut it. It snapped closed, and the lock, approximately the size of a colony, seemed ominous. How was I going to get around this one?

Tia Dalma handed the thick key to Matthew, who smiled in return. He dangled it in front of my nose for a moment, then snatched it away when I savagely growled and snapped in his direction. "Ella, Ella, Ella. That is no way to act towards the new captain of your ship! Why, and I was going to have you stay aboard too. You know, to have company for those long sea trips where a man gets lonely."

That was the last straw for me. I screamed and spat out, "I would never be your whore even if I was forced. You disgusting, worthless bastard." Not for the first time, I had lapsed into my proper English accent, as I did when I was threatened. "Suit yourself," he replied, and then turned to the crew. "Men, we will leave Ms. Raven a longboat and three days supplies. We will be setting out to hide this," he held out the key by way of explanation, "very, very far from here, where Ms. Raven will not find it." With a cruel smile in my direction, he and the crew headed out the door, dragging me along with them. I was thrown in a longboat with spoiled food, and the chest. Before they pushed me off, Tia Dalma came running across the beach.

Once she reached me, she whispered in my ear, "As long as you 'ave tha' chest wit' you, you will stay alive. Tha' very moment tha' it leaves yer possession, you will die. But I feel for yer, so I will tell you somethin'. Look fer Jack Sparrow." "Jack Sparrow!" I cried, "Who the hell is he? And what do I need from him?" Tia Dalma just looked at me sadly, and then I was pushed off the beach, off on my own, in a tiny longboat.

On normal circumstances, I wouldn't have survived. But these weren't ordinary circumstances. Son after being "marooned" on my longboat, I spied a ship in the distance. It was black, with tattered black sails that the sun shone through. I knew that this ship would be my only hope, so I began to plan. I started tearing up the longboat, drenching myself with water, and then I tied a rope around my waist, connecting myself and my chest. I then sprawled out on one of the boards from the broken-up longboat, faking a shipwreck.

I soon heard a man call, "Man... er... woman overboard!" I was brought up to the side of the ship, and a man walked towards me. He was enough to strike fear into the heart of any pirate, with his grizzly beard and cold, steely eyes. But I gathered what was left of my wit and turned to face him. "What be yer business on me ship, lass?" he said. "The name's Raven. Captain Ella Raven. I was mutinied by my crew and left to die," I replied, keeping it short and sweet. I decided not to provide any extra information.

"Well Ms. Raven," the captain, who I would come to know as Barbossa, said, "That be sad circumstances, fer sure, but we jus' 'ave marooned our own captain, so I 'ave no pity fer ye. Men, take 'er ta' tha' brig."

"WAIT!" I cried out, "I'll make a deal with you, captain. If I can duel you and win, you must take me to wherever I want to go, alive, well, and healthy. And when I say wherever, I mean wherever. And you have to provide me with safe passage not in the brig." In my years of dealing with pirates like myself, I had learned to explain myself in the clearest way possible, so that there were no loopholes that could possibly be the cause of my death.

Barbossa nodded. "The name's Captain Barbossa. Pintel, get the woman a sword."

With that, we began a complicated dance of twists and turns, dodging one another's swords and ducking when a blow was meant for our heads. Finally, I had gotten Barbossa right where I wanted him, and pointed my sword at his neck. I grinned evilly and said, "Do you agree to the terms I have laid out previously, Captain?" Seeing as he had no other alternative, he backed down.

Grudgingly, he turned and asked me, "Where did ye be wantin' ta go, Ms. Raven?"

"To get my love back."

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Chapter 4! I'm so sorry that it took so long – stupid computer for crashing! Grrrr. Anyway, review and tell me what you think of her story so far.

-- ell.


	5. Chapter 5

Kay guys, I got like 2 reviews on my last chappie... what happened:-( was it not good enough? Please tell me so I can improve, if need be. This chapter should end Ella telling her story to jack, and filling you all in, so the next chapter will be more exciting, i promise. Please, please, please, read and review.

Chapter Five

After several months aboard the Pearl, I had accomplished two things: one being that I now hated Barbossa with a passion, and the other being that I was finally able to locate my ship. Grudgingly, I allowed Barbossa to help me plan the attack on my own ship, because I knew it wouldn't be easy. We finally decided that I would hide in the cabin, and Barbossa and the crew would lure Matthew into a false sense of security.

Unfortunately, the plan didn't go as well as hoped, because one of my former crewmembers found me in the cabin, brought me out on deck, and I was forced to duel with the former love of my life, Matthew. After a long, complicated fight that was leaving me tired and gasping for breath, I was pinned to the ground, and Matthew held a sword to my throat. Panicked, I looked around, but no help was in sight. So I did what anyone else in my position would do:

I pulled out my pistol and shot him.

With his last breath, he wheezed, "You... you cheated. You... stupid... whore" "Nah," I replied. "Pirate." He collapsed down onto the deck of _my_ ship, and his crimson blood seeped through the wood. I stood there, silently, for a moment, gazing down on the man whom I had loved, but had hurt me in ways unimaginable.

After a few moments in silence, I turned around to face everyone, who was silently standing, watching. I lapsed back into "captain mode" and yelled orders at some of the men. "Alrigh' ye scurvy dogs, take 'im an' throw 'im ta' Davy Jones's locker." And with that, I shot him again, to the surprise of many on board. By way of explanation, I shrugged. "Jus' makin' sure that 'e's really dead."

I made my way down to the brig, and found that my old crew had been locked in the brig, but what made me the most angry was that they had been there since the mutiny. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one that Matthew and betrayed, so my old crew was willing to serve under me again, and I trusted them, because they were like family to me, after all. Many may think that that was a foolish act, considering that they had been part of my mutiny in the first place, but I had a logical explanation: anyone that is mutinied, like my crew and I were, doesn't do it to anyone else. It's just not logical.

There was someone else, locked in another cell in the brig, though, and when I walked over, I found out that it was a male, and one that I knew. He was my half-brother, Andres. We had known about each other since I had went to live with my grandparents, because my grandparents u-sed to sneak me to see him, hoping that we would form a friendship, considering that I had few friends to speak of. We had lost touch, though, but I had talked about him to Matthew once or twice. Matthew must've kidnapped him to use as "leverage" if need be.

Weeks, maybe even months passed. I had dropped Andres off in a safe port, and my cache of treasure was slowly improving, bit by bit. But there was something that felt out of place, and I didn't know what. Long, endless nights I spent awake, nursing a bottle of rum and studying all of the books and maps I had in my possession for an answer. I was looking for something... anything... that would help my present state. It was then that a crewmember hesitatingly suggested Tia Dalma.

I set sail to see the witch immediately. If there was anyone that could help me now, it would be her. Although I didn't know exactly what was wrong, she had uncanny instincts. Maybe she was a mind-reader, and to be honest, I'm not sure to this day, but she has something... something even a little creepy. There was a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that if I didn't do something soon, there would be dire consequences in return.

My crew and I made the journey to Tia Dalma, and as we approached her swamp, I was filled with a sense of dread, reliving the last time I had been here. The fear, anxiety, it was all coming back, just as real as when it had happened. My footsteps were heavy on the stairs to her cabin in the midst of the swamp, and the door swung open, revealing the witch standing on the other side.

"'Ello Ella. I 'ave been expectin' yah ta' come ta' me," she said slowly. I nodded by way of agreement, not really knowing what else to say in a situation such as that. Finally, I found my voice. "I 'ave a problem.. I don't really know wha' it be... but I know tha' it needs ta' be taken care of," I halfheartedly explained.

Tia Dalma went into one of the adjoining rooms and came back with something in her hand, which was curled into a fist. She uncurled it, and dropped the object into my waiting palm. It was a ring, a silver ring with a beautiful onyx stone. It was heavy in my hand, and I looked at it in confusion. Slowly, I twisted it around between my fingers, trying to study it, see why it would help me. On the inside of the band, I found something that was interesting, something that could have possibly made my trip worthwhile, though I didn't really know how: engraved, on the inside of the ring, was a sparrow, in flight.

Tia Dalma smiled when she saw recognition dawn on my face. "Listen ta' me, girl," she said, "Yah need ta' find Jack Sparrow. This be 'is ring, an' yah can use it ta' have 'im help yah. I ain't tellin' yah wha' he can help yah with, though. Good luck." And with that, she pushed me out of the cabin and shut the door.

By that time, I had acquired Wesley, my first mate, by some interesting circumstances, but it was he that suggested that I go on land, to be safer. I had shrugged the suggestion off, telling myself that I could handle anything, but then as I thought about it, the idea was looking more and more friendly. I decided that the easiest thing to do would be to stage my own death, and the death of my ship as well.

My perfect opportunity came with a huge storm that blew up one night. I ordered everyone into the longboats, and when questioned, I replied, "A captain always goes down with her ship." It was to be my last, and final, act. The curtain was slowly coming down on Captain Ella Raven, or so it seemed.

I knew that I could handle my ship, all alone, in the storm. I sailed it to a secret cove in Tortuga, on the far side of the island, and only took my armoire. I was in hiding for seven years, and it was only after I had a dream that I decided to come back. I won't tell you what happened in that dream, but I will tell you that somehow, I knew that you would be easier to find than I had ever imagined. I just didn't think that it would be this easy," I said with a smirk.

And with that, my tale coming to a close, I moved my fisted hand toward Jack Sparrows outstretched one, and dropped a silver ring with an onyx stone.

His eyes widened immediately, and then he broke out into a smirk. He slid the ring onto his index finger of his right hand, and looked down at it appreciatively, almost as a girl would gaze at her engagement ring.

As Sparrow was marveling at the recently re-acquired ring on his finger, I silently rose from my chair and left my cabin, making my way up to the deck. I walked over to the railing, running my fingers along the smooth wood, lightly tapping out a song that was running through my head: "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me," I sang softly under my breath, matching the rhythm that my fingers were drumming.

I was so absorbed in watching the stars and humming my tune, I didn't notice Jack emerge from below deck and come stand beside me.

"There's nothin' like it," he said softly, "Reminds me of tha' Pearl. It's not just tha' rudder an' tha' mast an' tha' sails, its wha' it stand for. Freedom." I nodded in agreement, slowly turning my head to look up at the strange man whom I was growing to hate less and less.

Turning his head to the sea, Jack grabbed my hand, and pushed something into it, then walked, but it was more of a swagger, down below deck again. Confused, I turned it over, smiling slightly at what I saw: it was Jack's compass.

As I opened it, a piece of parchment fluttered to the deck, so I stooped to pick it up. Flipping it over, I realized that it was addressed to me.

_Ella, love. _

_Here is my compass, I expect it back. As you know, it leads to whatever your heart wants most. Be careful, though, because as someone once told me, "Sometimes you aren't aware of what your heart truly wants."_

_Yours, Captain Jack Sparrow_

Finally, standing there, on the Poseidon's Wrath, sailing off to god-knows-where, I looked up at the stars and suddenly, finally, I realized that everything would work out alright.

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So, everyone... what'd you think? Now things are going to pick up a bit, just because i really needed to get her story out of the way and everything. Review, review, review, please!

Love you all,

--ell.


	6. Chapter 6

Okayyy. So. Thanks for the review... keep 'em comin! I'm so sorry that this chapter has taken so long to post, but my godson's been in the hospital, and to make a long story very, very short, i've been really busy. READ AND REVIEW!

Disclaimer: see chappie numero uno for a fantabulous disclaimer that should cover what you all already know. (same goes for last chapter, i just forgot to add that.)

**Chapter Six**

After my little reverie on the deck, I realized just how tired I was. After all, a barmaid's life is nothing compared to the life of a pirate, added to the fact that I had met an equally infamous pirate ex-captain, found my brother, and told my life story to an almost complete stranger in the length of a day. Aye, a pirate's life for me, as they say.

I wandered down to my cabin, gently dragging my fingertips on the railings and other ornate fixtures on the Poseidon's Wrath as I went. And then I got to thinking about what I had told Jack, specifically the part concerning Andres. If I was the oldest in my family, then where did he come from? He couldn't have possibly been my father's son, because his name was Andres, after all, and he did look quite Spanish, like myself. I stopped in my tracks... there was something wrong here.

All my life, I had been told that Andres was my brother. I had always believed that fact, considering that my grandparents had been the one to tell me of it, and you always believe you grandparents. After all, they are supposed to be comforting, kind people who always tell you the truth... right?

Instead of going directly to my cabin, I decided to make a stop along the way to the crew's quarters. It really wasn't along the way, but it didn't really matter, although I was getting wearier by the minute. Before I could get there, I was charged at by a figure, shrouded in shadows.

"Hello 'baby sister'," Andres sneered.

"Andres. But is that your real name? And who are you, really?" I replied, drawing my sword.

"My name is really Andres... Andres Alverez. Your mother met me when I was a mere street urchin, looking for work. She wanted me to pose as your brother... she would convince her parents that I was hers... and therefore gain your trust. I was then supposed to kill you," Andres explained with a cruel smirk as we dueled on the deck.

My eyes narrowed. "My mother didn't want me killed. Don't lie, Andres."

"Ah, Gabriella, but it is true. Your mother, Isabel, hated you for what you were: a worthless bastard. She hated you because you weren't her husband's. In fact, she hated you so much, she hired me. Why else do you think you were sent off to live with your grandparents?"

With one final cry, I dealt Andres the final blow, straight into his stomach. As he lay there, in a puddle of his own crimson blood, gasping for air, he told me, "And, Gabriella, you will find out that nothing of your life is what you think it is."

And with a sick smile, Andres breathed his last.

Grimly, I removed my sword from Andres's bloody corpse, and sheathed it. I called for the night watchman to help me hoist it over the side of the ship, but before we let go, I spit on what was once Andres, cursing and saying, "Rot in hell, you worthless bastard."

With a grimace, I let the body of the person I thought had been my brother fall to the ocean below.

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I practically had to crawl back to my cabin, and once there, I was met by an unfamiliar sight: there was someone in my bed. I dragged my feet as I walked over to it, a grand four-poster bed with fine linens, from some English ship or another. And there, among the fine linens, was something a lot less fine: Jack Sparrow, sprawled every which way, tangled in every piece of bedding that I owned.

I sighed inwardly. Solving this situation wouldn't be as simple as running a sword through someone. In fact, if I did run a sword through someone, it would result in messy bedding and even messier consequences. In all honesty, I had never been faced with this problem before, sad as it may seem.

So I did what was logical to me: dressed in my bed attire, also known as my oversized tunic, I pushed Jack over until there was enough room for me, climbed over him, and collapsed into the bed. After that, sleep overcame my weary self, and I slept until morning.

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The next day, when everyone asked where Andres was, I told them that he departed from us late the previous night, followed by a "don't ask, don't tell" look. And most people left it at that, and more importantly, left me alone. Everyone, that is, except Wesley. That stupid whelp never knows when to keep his mouth shut, so I was forced to assign him to the crow's nest, where he would do the least damage to my mental well-being.

That day passed, for the most part, uneventfully, but that night was a different story. As soon as I crawled into the bed, sidestepping Jack for the second time, and sat with my knees up to my chin, it seemed that the recent events had finally caught up to me, even though that day I had tried to dodge them the best that I could. So, I did what any other girl in my position would do: I cried.

Believe me, being a pirate captain, I don't cry very often. It just doesn't happen. But it isn't every day, either, that someone whom you thought was your brother turns out to be an assassin hired by your mother. It really doesn't give a person much faith in family values.

But what Andres said before he died troubled me the most. At first, I had tried to brush it off as him just trying to scare me, as a sort of "payback" for killing him. But then I started doubting... everything and anything I had ever known. My grandparents... if they really were my grandparents... was my grandfather really a merchant sailor? And just how did he get this ship? My mother... did she lie to me about who I was? Am I really the bastard daughter of an English well-bred?

What I didn't know, though, was that as I was sobbing as quiet as I could, the man sharing my bed was awake, facing away from me, his eyebrows furrowed and his dark eyes glinting with a dangerous light. And what I didn't catch him whisper would have made me stop, dead in my tracks.

"Gabriella. Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon. Ella. Ella Raven... Oh bloody ell," he whispered to himself, eyes wide with shock and realization. "It's 'er. Aye. It be 'er."

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Alright, loves, read and review! Once again, I'm extremely sorry if this chappie was a bit of a bore, but they'll get more and more exciting. I promise. And the next chappie will come substantially quicker than this one, that I also promise. Family complications and whatnot got in the way. Thanks loves.

READ AND REVIEWWW!

Yours,

--ell.


	7. Chapter 7

'ello loves. Thank you all for the reviews... they make my life. I now have 27 which is amazinggg! I hope everyone is satisfied with the story thus far; but today my sort of beta EmKat (she doesn't do fanfiction.. just reads/corrects mine) and I worked out the framework for most of the rest of this story, so now it's actually going somewhere. (before i was just kind of winging it.) alrightyyy.. here's a new chappie for you all.. you know what to do: READ AND REVIEW! (hey... that rhymed!)

**Chapter Seven**

To the untrained eye, the way Jack Sparrow was pacing the deck of the Poseidon's Wrath would seem odd. One would wonder if he was drunk, or an insomniac, or maybe just mad. But fortunately, I was far from untrained and I could plainly see the wheels turning in Jack Sparrow's mind and the obvious internal debate that he was staging, but over what I wasn't sure. What I did know, at that point, was that Jack, and his mannerisms, were eerily familiar; stowed away in some rarely-used corner of my mind. To put it plainly, I had deduced that somehow, somewhere and in some point in time, I had known Jack Sparrow. It was how that I had yet to figure out.

Little did I know, but Jack was going through a similar situation as myself, but there was one difference: he knew exactly where he knew me from, he just wasn't quite sure how to break it to me. Finally, after several hours of standing at the helm and watching him pace back and forth, scan the horizon, check the sails, and pace some more, he approached me.

"Erm. Ella, love," he said with an air of unease, "Would ye be so kind as ta' 'ave a lil' chat with ol' Jack in yer cabin?"

I nodded, confused as to why Jack Sparrow wanted to have "a little chat" with me privately, and why he was so uneasy, but I followed him below deck just the same. Once we got to my cabin, he plopped himself down onto an elegant chaise lounge, laying down and propping his leg up on the wall. He fiddled with his beads, rolling them between his fingers, and finally found words.

"Ella," he started, as I sat down at the chair behind my desk, "After listenin' ta' yer tale, I realized tha' I know yer from somewhere very familiar ter tha' both of us. Yer grandfather was not yer mother's father. Did ye ever notice tha' he wasn't Spanish lookin'? He was English, an' his name wasn't Pedro either. Ye remember 'ow ye told me about readin' pirate books an' learnin' how to read maps an' such? Can ye tell me exactly who ye read about, love?"

I paused, confused. Then I slowly answered in my English accent, which was rapidly becoming more and more familiar to me, as I used it with Jack all the time instead of putting on pretenses, "I learned about the Code, about Captains Morgan and Bartholomew, Blackbeard, Davy Jones... everything a good pirate should know," I responded, still confused over what Jack had said so far.

"Morgan. Did 'e ever seem... familiar... to ye? Did yer grandfather seem ta' know a lot abou' 'im?"

"Yes... I guess that he did... but I always figured that Captain Morgan was a favorite of grandfather's," I explained.

"Alrigh', love," Jack sighed and said, "Let me tell ye a story. Once upon a time," he began with the most annoying cliché, "there was a boy, an' 'is name was Jack. Jack was a beggar in Tortuga, because 'is mother was a whore. Jack was born in India, an' he had a pirate father, but never knew 'im. Jack was found by a famous pirate – Captain Henry Morgan – an' was apprenticed to 'im. Jack learned all tha' there was ta' know about piracy an' tha' like... an' he lived with Morgan an' 'is wife, Marie. One day, Jack stumbled upon a lass, about twelve by tha' looks of 'er, about seven years younger than 'imself, who introduced 'erself as the granddaughter of Pedro. Jack didn't know who tha' 'ell Pedro was, but he liked tha' girl enough. Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon, she said 'er name was. Jack called 'er Gabby, an' they played together, Gabby being like tha' lil' sister tha' Jack never had... not knowing the secret tha' connected them both. But one day, Morgan came 'ta Jack an' told 'im ta' stay away from Gabriella, because she was 'is granddaughter, but she didn't know who 'e really was. Called 'im Pedro, she did. An' soon after, Jack's lessons were complete, and he was ready to start work. He never saw Gabby again."

I sat at my desk for a minute, fumbling with the ends of the lavender scarf that was currently restraining my curly locks, trying to comprehend what Jack had just informed me. If Jack was correct, my grandfather was not Pedro, as I thought he was, and his wife not Mariel, as I thought she was. Indeed, he was actually the famous Captain Henry Morgan, co-founder of the Code and one of the most famous pirates to have ever sailed the seven seas.

If this was a fact, it would also explain why my grandparents never knew about the whereabouts of my mother, and why they would have believed her in saying that Andres was her son, because they weren't her parents at all. My mother had apparently lied to Andres as well with this fact, and it was then that it had dawned upon me: Henry and Marie Morgan weren't my mother, Isabel's parents, they were my father's, which meant that there was only one man who could possibly be my father: Christian Morgan, who lived in Port Royal.

The puzzle pieces were finally beginning to fall into place now, and it turned out that, for the time being, Andres had been right after all. Barely anything in my life had actually been real, it had been an elaborate tale of knots and tangles, fabricated to keep me living in a faux world, created for me by my parents and grandparents.

But there was one piece that didn't make sense: Jack. I couldn't remember him at all, but why? I would have been twelve years old at the time, and obviously capable of having a functioning memory. I glanced up at Jack, and suddenly had an idea.

As quickly has I could manage, I hopped from my chair, strode over to an unsuspecting Jack, lounging on the chaise lounge, and grabbed his hair, quickly tying it back with a cord. I then covered his beard with the palm of my hand, and stared him down, trying to imagine him fifteen years younger.

Then it came to me, fleeting as a breeze on an August afternoon: a boy, nearly a man, in grandfather's cherry tree orchard. The now-familiar eyes of Jack Sparrow stared me down from among the boughs of a particular cherry tree, the now-familiar smirk planted upon his face, which was youthful, less tan, and sans the beard. His tangled locks were smooth, short, and held back with a ribbon, and his grin lacked the now-familiar gold glint. Suddenly, a younger Ella cried out, "Jack, I've found you! Come down or I'll... I'll... I'll make you walk the plank, you scabrous dog!"

The sounds faded and I was once again standing, in my cabin, with Jack looking at me with a most peculiar expression on his face. It was then that I realized that I was still covering his beard with the palm of my hand. Dazed, I walked to my bed, sitting down among the tangled linens.

"You... cherry tree... me... orchard... I've found you..." I said, still sitting wide-eyed on the bed.

Jack smiled, a real, genuine smile. "Aye, Gabby," he said, "'Tis nice ta' see ye again. Fifteen years 'ave been good 'ta ye, I can see tha'." This comment was followed by his trademark suggestive smirk, which was followed by, in return, a slap on his cheek, courtesy of myself.

Hurt, turned to me with sad, mournful eyes, "Gabriella, wha' was tha' for? I only gave ye a compliment," he lamented.

"Jack Sparrow, I never thought I'd see you again after you left. And then you suddenly waltz in here, breaking down all mental walls that I've set up for myself, and you expect me to **sleep** with you? I DON'T THINK SO!" I scolded.

"Whoa, whoa, Gab. I seriously don't think tha' I ever stated tha' I wanted 'ta sleep with ye, but if yer willing...?" This statement was followed by another slap, also courtesy of myself.

"But Jack, be serious. What happened to you after you left Grandfather's?" I asked, not because I wanted to hear him brag, but merely because I was curious.

For the following several hours, I was entertained by a host of stories, most highly exaggerated, but still believable all the same: from refusing to transport slaves and being branded by the East India Trading Company, to sacking Nassau Port without firing a single shot... and then from winning the Pearl back to defeating the Kraken, I was informed of every tiny detail of the life and times of Jack Sparrow.

After several bottles of rum, lots of stories, and many, many hours, I sleepily asked Jack my final question of the night:

"Jack, when you gave me the compass... did you do it because you knew who I was already? Had you figured it out?"

Half asleep himself, Jack responded, "No, love, it didn't 'it me until I 'eard ye crying tha' one night... 'it me like a load of bricks, it did..."

I had nearly drifted off to sleep, with Jack by my side, when I heard something that woke me up instantly, and with a glance I realized that Jack had been roused as well.

Heavy footsteps pounded down the stairs of the Poseidon's Wrath, and the door slammed open, revealing someone I thought I'd never see again... someone that I thought I'd been done with for more than a lifetime... someone that the mere sight of made my blood run cold:

Matthew stood, imposing, in the doorway to my cabin, gun cocked and pointed, grinning eerily.

"'ello Gabriella, my dearest. Why don't ye take a lil' walk with yer love, Matthew?"

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Well, guys, another chappie... what did you think? If anyone has anything that they think sucks about the story or whatever and they think I should change, I'd gladly listen to what you have to say; either message me or give me a review. And also, I'd like to point out that anonymous reviews are welcome, and flames are too, though I'd prefer constructive criticism.

Thanks so much!

Yours,

--ell.


	8. Chapter 8

Hello everyonee! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in _forever_, but you'll have to forgive me. From now on, I'll try to post chapters as regularly as I can, but I needed a little time to plan out where I want the story to go from here. Thanks to everyone for their reviews, as you all know, they mean a lot to me. My only comment would be that if you post an anonymous review, which is completely fine by me, please post your email address as well, so I can email you and thank you for the review, as well as answer any questions you may have had. Now, on with the chapter...

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you recognize from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movies. However, I do own Ella Raven (or Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon, if you prefer), her ship, her crew, and her family.

**Chapter Eight**

Matthew dragged me by my arm out on deck, while another burly man dragged Jack just behind us. I could hear Jack pleading with the guard, "'ey! 'ey there... easy!" but it did nothing to lighten the grim mood that I was in.

Matthew was back. I had shot him twice, once in the head, and once in the chest, so I didn't see how he possibly could be alive, and dragging me through the corridors of the ship. I didn't believe it at all. No one could possibly survive a bullet to the head and heart! And he wasn't undead looking, he looked and felt very much alive, except for the steely, frightening look in his eyes. Where once there was mirth and life, there was now cold indifference.

I was dragged onto the deck, and thrown onto the wooden boards. I winced on impact, my wrist twisting in a most unnatural fashion. As I sat, nursing my throbbing wrist, I paid little attention to my surroundings until I heard Jack's voice.

It was cold, colder than I had ever heard it before. In fact, it sent shivers running up and down my spine just listening to him. Normally a voice teasing, laughing, and otherwise being carefree, now was filled with pure hatred and anger.

"Tha' ship is not yers, mate. Ye 'ave no right ta' 'ave tha' ship."

I looked up, confused. _What ship could he possibly be talking about? The Pearl is at the bottom of the ocean! _But there, a ship had weighed anchor next to the Poseidon's Wrath. A ship, with smooth wood black as night, tattered black sails, and a Jolly Roger flying; it's smile a grim warning to those who dared to cross it.

It was the Pearl.

Involuntarily, I gasped. Nothing was making any sense. The Pearl and Matthew were both allegedly at the bottom of the ocean – lost forever. One was accidental, per se, but the other one was no accident, but that didn't matter. The fact was that they both were alive. The Pearl was in terrible condition, or I would say alive and well. Alive will have to suffice.

But anyway, with both of them resurfaced, I didn't know what to think, but the obvious terrible condition of the Pearl let me know that it really was Matthew that was pretending to captain it, considering that he cares not for anything in his life, except himself, so he would never actually take time in mending and repairing a ship

Until that moment, I'd been too wrapped up in my own thoughts to even glance over at Jack. But now, I finally directed my gaze towards the man kneeling on the deck of my ship.

I didn't know him. This was not the Jack Sparrow that I had known as a child, nor the one I was beginning to know as an adult. This man was visibly broken; his eyes were cold and forlorn, and he visibly slumped on the deck.

"Jack," I whispered.

I hadn't meant to say anything. I really hadn't, because I knew that any weakness, or what looked like a weakness, Matthew would use against me, but it slipped out. And bloody hell, was I sorry that it did.

For no sooner than the words escaped my lips, Matthew turned his back on Jack for the moment, and strode over to me, his eyes glittering cruelly.

"Well Ella, I take it you know Jack Sparrow?"

"Captain! Captain Jack Sparrow," Jack interjected, his voice cold, but with a swift kick to the stomach he was silenced, doubled over in pain. Matthew swiftly walked over to Jack, towering over his doubled-up form.

"Sparrow, you may or may not know this," Matthew said coolly, "but in order to be a captain, you must have a ship. Your former ship, the Black Pearl, is now being captained by me, so therefore you are no longer a captain." And then, with a cruel smile he added, "savvy?"

Turning on his heel, Matthew walked over to me.

"So, Ella," he said with a cruel smirk, "how do you know our friend Mr. Sparrow?"

When I didn't respond, he laughed. "Ella, please don't tell me you _like_... or maybe even _love_ this man. You have no soul, Ella. You're a worthless shell of a person, incapable of love. You stupid, worthless slut," he spat, punctuated by a hard blow to my right cheek that brought me to my knees.

Dizzy, I tried to sit up on the deck. I could feel the warm blood trickling down my cheek, and my head ached as if someone was pounding on it with a hammer. I finally mustered up what was left of my strength and sat up, eventually standing. I pulled my pistol out of it's sash, took aim, and fired.

I watched it hit its target, dead on, and then everything went black.

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Okay, guys, I'm really sorry that the chapter is so short, but like I said, I'm really going to try to keep updating on a regular basis from now on. Please, please, please review and tell me what you think.

Yours,

--_ell._

(aka, _Captain Ella Raven._)


	9. Chapter 9

'ello loves... 'ow are ye all? I had another... brain fart, if you will... and I didn't post for awhile.. but now i'm back! Read and review, because I love you all ever so much.. By the way.. it's back to school for me :-( so I won't be posting a ton, but i'll try to get as many up in the least amount of time possible. Bear with me! I have a creative writing class that i'll be doing a lot of work in, so i promise that i'll get them up!

Disclaimer: the usual... I don't own anyone you recognize from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movies. However, I do own Ella Raven (aka Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon), her crew, her ship, and... anything you don't recognize.

**Chapter Nine**

I awoke very cold, very wet, and very confused. It was pitch black, and I could barely see my hand in front of my face, but even still I knew that I wasn't on the Poseidon's Wrath. "There seems to be a leak," I said to no one in particular, glancing where I thought the floor would be, beneath the puddles incasing my shins and feet.

I groaned, pulling myself into a sitting position. I could feel bruises that had developed from my encounter the day before. _Yesterday..._ I thought. Yesterday I had shot someone and passed out shortly after watching my bullet reach it's target. I hadn't intended to shoot Matthew, because that had already been proved unsuccessful. Instead, I had caught a glimpse of a man out of the corner of my eye, coming from below deck and carrying a very familiar chest. I knew what Matthew wanted, and so I shot the man to make it a bit more difficult.

Fleetingly, I wondered where Jack was. I hadn't thought much of him once I had spotted the man with my chest – he was ugly, coarse. Stupid looking. I had been enraged... _How dare he lay his grimy paws on my chest, _I had thought. But then, I hadn't thought of much else from the time I saw him until the time that I pulled the trigger and watched my bullet hit it's mark.

Thinking of the chest made me very aware of my current state. I had thought that I wouldn't be able to feel it – wouldn't be able to sense if the chest was near to me or not...

But I could feel it. The chest wasn't with me anymore, nor was it on this ship. There was an emptiness – a feeling that can't be put into words. Like a hole in one's self. Not a very comforting, nor comfortable, feeling. When it was with me, everything was semi-normal. Life went on, and I felt almost... alive. But now, now that it had disappeared, I wasn't whole. I was a shell. A pitiful shell of a person.

Then it hit me – with a sick jolt. The farther the distance that separated my chest and I, the weaker and sicker I'd become... until I was nothing. Until there was nothing left.

I sat there, in God-knows-where, for what seemed like an eternity. _I am going to die_, I thought over and over, _Matthew will finally win. I'll be gone._

_I'll be gone._

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Reeeealllyyyy short chapter, but I thought that I liked it when it ended there. I'll post two chapters today, just to keep the public happy. I'm on a roll.

Love you all.. read and review, me hearties!

Yours

-- ella.

_Captain Ella Raven_


	10. Chapter 10

Another chapter today... aren't you all proud of me! I hope everyone liked Chapter Nine.. it was kind of boring – sorry – but I was in need of a little filler chapter. This one should be a little better. You know what to do – read and review! (ew. That rhymed.)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean. However, I do own Ella Raven (aka Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon), her ship, her crew... etc. Basically anything you don't recognize is mine.

**Chapter Ten**

I don't know how long I sat there, thinking about my own demise, but before I knew it, sunlight was creeping in the spaces between the boards, and I came to realize where I was. The room (if you could call it that) was currently flooded with sunlight, illuminating the dark, grimy wood. I figured that I must be in the brig of the Pearl, but what had become of the Poseidon's Wrath?

It wasn't until I had fully looked around my cell that the irony of the situation at had had fully hit me. Apparently Matthew and his crew weren't expecting guests in their brig, or they had completely run out of storage space in the hold, because the rest of the cell that I was in was stuffed full of boxes of...

Rum.

Yes, the cell was crammed full of it. And there, lying among the boxes, was a bruised and battered Jack Sparrow. "Jack lying among his rum. As it should be," I said aloud. And at my words, as if on cue, Jack opened his eyes and struggled to sit up. As it registered where he was, who he was with, and what exactly was in the boxes, his face lit up.

"Tha' rum! Tha' rum's not gone, Gab! Fer once, tha' rum isn't gone!" he said as he broke open a box and held up two bottles. He smirked at me, the first I had seen since we had been "kidnapped", and I decided that I'd worry about dying, the Poseidon's Wrath, and anything else that might require my worrying later. For now, I had company and I had rum. And where there was company and rum, I could drown out the sorrow and the emptiness, at least for a while.

Late into the night, Jack and I sat drinking, smiling goofy half-smiles with dazed looks on our eyes. I started humming, stupidly, drunkenly, and before long I was singing at the top of my lungs.

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life fer me... We pillage, we plunder, we ravage, we loot, drink up me 'earties yo ho!" I giggled as Jack fell over, knocking down the dozens empty bottles we had lined up until they had formed a small army.

"Oye," Jack shouted, "'ow tha' 'ell did those... those... scoundrels... yes. Scoundrels. Wait," he said confusedly.

I cocked my head, equally confused, but then a sloppy, drunken smile suddenly graced my features. "Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!" I began again. When the second round of what was rapidly becoming Jack's and my favorite song had ended, Jack whipped his head around and stared at me with eyes glazed over.

"Gab," Jack slurred, "yer so... pretty. Yeah, tha's it. Pretty. Why, when this is all over, maybe we'll get... married. Yeah, tha's it. Married."

I giggled again, trying to slap him on the cheek but missing, slapping nothing but air instead as I replied, just as drunkenly, "Now Jack, ye know I'm not a marryin' woman. I'm free... like... the ocean. Like..."

"tha' Pearl," Jack finished.

"Yer right, Gabby," he began again, "Ye and I, we aren't marryin' types. We sail, we pillage, we do wha'ever we feel like. We're free," he said, and then whispered almost reverently,

"Free."

&&&

Another short one, but I thought it was cute. There needed to be something humorous to break up all the drama – did this do the trick? Read and review, loves, and I'll get up another chapter as soon as I can.

Thanks ever so much for all the reviews so far... they mean so much to me.

Yours,

--ella.

_Captain Ella Raven._


	11. Chapter 11

WHAT. THE. HECK. I write you all two chapters, and you give me **three** reviews? But that's alright. I forgive you all. Please review if you read this:-) To my two reviewers, thank you both so much. You guys keep me writing.

Thorinella and Lilith Moonlight... this one's for you guys!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean. However, I do own Ella Raven (Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon, if you prefer.), her ship, her crew, umm.. yeah. Anything you don't recognize from Pirates of the Caribbean.

**Chapter Eleven**

I woke up and felt like someone was taking a hammer to my brain. _Ughhh,_ I thought,_ way too much rum last night. My head!_ I groaned as I tried to disentangle my limbs from the many empty bottles of rum that lay scattered on the floor. I glanced over at Jack, who was happily humming to himself, as if he'd been up for hours on end.

"Jack," I moaned, "Will ye please shut up? I be dyin' over here!" It was a known fact that you could really tell when I was hung over when I lapsed into my "pirate speech".

"Ah, Gabby, yer awake!" Jack said loudly, and then softened his voice to a whisper when he saw me wince, "Ol' Jack can 'andle 'is rum, love," he said proudly, and then frowned when I rolled over and punched his arm. "'ey love! Wha' was tha' fer?"

"Fer 'andling yer rum, Jack Sparrow. Now let me sleep, an' if anyone comes down, wake me up, alrigh'?" Sullenly, Jack nodded, and I passed out into a deep, dreamless sleep.

I was scared witless when I was violently shaken away by Jack, however many hours later I'm not sure. I was certain that Matthew was coming, that he had my chest... the terrible possibilities were endless and running marathons around my mind.

"Where is 'e?" I whispered urgently, and then looking around to see no one around us and hear no footsteps on the stairs, my face darkened. "**Where is 'e,**" I growled at Jack, who was smirking triumphantly among several more newly emptied bottles of rum.

"JACK!" I raised my voice to a near-shout. "WHA' WERE YE THINKING? ARE YE MAD? YOU.. HEARTLESS, ANNOYING..."

I was cut off by a pair of lips pressing into mine. My eyes widened in shock, and then suddenly closed. My mind was racing--- _was this the effect of lots of rum and being locked up with a woman? Or was he... did he really... _

For once in my life, I decided to stop overanalyzing and tiring myself out with questions that I might never get to answer, and just live in the moment. And this particular moment happened to be a good one. A very good one.

Many girls wonder what it would be like to kiss the Captain Jack Sparrow, and I'll tell you. It was nothing like I had ever experienced before. Sure, I had kissed boys back at home... Andres's friends, boys that worked in Grandfather's orchards, but they all paled in comparison. Jack smelled and tasted of the intoxicating aroma of adventure: sweat mixed with the saltiness of the sea, of rum and exotic scents and spices from places I'd never seen or heard of. In less complicated terms, he was perfect.

When the kiss finally ended, I kept my eyes closed for awhile, savoring his taste on my lips, his smell surrounding me, and his breath warm on my face, making my eyelashes flutter like butterfly wings. After a few moments, I opened my eyes, only to find dark brown eyes, lined with kohl, searching my face for something that he seemingly wasn't finding.

"Well," I said.

"Aye," he responded.

I sat back and sank against the bars of the cell, finally allowing myself to turn this moment over in my head, to play it back and analyze every bit. To question every moment, every detail. After all, this was not a moment I'd soon forget.

I had kissed Captain Jack Sparrow.

&&&

Another day, another chapter. This one had a bit of romance... what did you all think? I thought it was pretty cuuuute, they needed to get together sooner or later, right?

READ & REVIEW!

Love you all!

Yours,

-- ella.

_Captain Ella Raven._


	12. Chapter 12

Hey everyone! Thank you all for the reviews… I was so happy to hear from everyone! To Chaela Pearson and Thorinella -- I'm on my friend's computer because mine's being stupid, and on this comp. my yahoo's blocked, but thank you guys so much! Once my computer's done being stupid, I'll write replies, I promise. Anyway.. on with the next chapter! Thanks again, everyone… keep 'em coming!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean. However, I do own Ella Raven (or Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon, if you prefer), her ship, her crew, and basically anything else that you don't recognize.

**Chapter Twelve**

I sat there, alternating between staring and Jack and staring at the wall, thinking about everything that had suddenly happened. Less than a few months ago, my life was simple. The most basic existence ever: eat, sleep, work… and repeat. Now, all of the sudden, all of the skeletons are coming out of my closet, things were happening that I can't even explain, and finally, I admitted to myself: I was scared.

I, Ella Raven… I, Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon... I, the ruthless infamous pirate captain... I, the granddaughter of the famous Captain Henry Morgan, was scared.

Since I was mutinied, I had learned to live alone… to be alone. I had taught myself to never trust anyone, because trust makes you weak, or so I thought. I trusted only myself and my abilities, and nothing else. But now, with Jack making a grand reappearance in the grand play of my life, I was confused.

Part of me wanted to trust Jack. To be able to depend on him, and maybe even to admit to myself that I felt something more for him, someday. But then the other part of myself, the harder, more jaded side, chastised. _Trust gets you nowhere_, I thought to myself,_ if you trust Jack, he'll just get you into trouble just like Matthew. All men are the same._

I paused at that thought. _All men are the same._ But are they really? Thinking back to that night when I sat with Jack, drunk as hell, singing, made me realize that maybe this thought that had got me through the past seven years was wrong. Because would Matthew have done that without having an ulterior motive and possibly taking advantage of me? _No._ No he wouldn't have.

I briefly glanced over at Jack to find his brown eyes searching my face intently. I offered a small smile, and he smirked in return.

"Ye know, love, yer thoughts are practically written on yer face," he said, half mockingly, half seriously.

I nodded in agreement, knowing that he was probably telling the truth, and then went back to my thoughts. _Jack._ He was so… different… from any other man I'd known. He was mysterious, strange, but charming and charismatic all at the same time. But did I have any feelings for him? Did I--- _NO, _I mentally scolded myself. _You're Captain Ella Raven. You're ruthless, brave, and independent. You love no one. You'd be a fool to love someone_.

_I'd be a fool to love someone._

But would I really? Would it really be that bad to give my heart to someone? Hell, my soul was already gone, so it couldn't be as bad as that, could it? _But what if he betrays you, just like Matthew_, I reasoned.

Jack's voice interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to face him. I looked up, and our eyes locked together. He started to speak.

"Gab… Ella. I… I think I… this is going to sound crazy. I'll sound drunk, I will. But I think I might l---"

Jack was cut off by a ghastly thud of flesh hitting wood, followed by a shout.

"You bloody moron! Why did you put the rum in the brig? WHY?"

It was Matthew. The time had come.

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How did you all like that one? A little cliffy for all of you :-) Thanks again for all of your reviews on the last chapter, as well as the ones before that. Keep reviewing.. you guys reviewing makes me want to write more.

Thanks again.

Yours,

--ella.

_Captain Ella Raven._


	13. Chapter 13

Hello lovelies. Have you all missed me:-) thanks for all of your reviews, they made me extremely happy. Keep up the reading and reviewing ... your reviews keep me going!

Disclaimer: the usual.

**Chapter Thirteen**

My arms were pinned to my back by a burly man who looked and smelled as if he had severe hygiene problems. A few yards away, Jack seemed to be having the same difficulty. I scanned the horizon, my heart sinking when I realized what was about to happen.

We were docked as close as possible to a small island, one that I had been made governor of about seven years ago. My blood boiled at the mere sight of it – I hated that bloody inch of land with my... well. I'm lacking a soul, as you all know, so I guess I just hate it. With a passion, mind you.

The deck, noisy with movement and jeering of the nasty men that crewed the ship, became quiet as Matthew started to speak.

"Men, you all recognize our dear Ella Raven, don't you? We made her governor of this island on our last visit, and I do think that it is about time for her to make a reappearance, don't you agree?" The men shouted "Aye". All of them.

_Oh bloody hell,_ I thought,_ I'm done for. If only it wasn't this bloody island! Any other island would be nice, but **this bloody island**?_

Among the noise and hubbub, Jack spoke in a clear, strong voice.

"'ey mate. Matthew, I think?" Matthew whipped around and stared at Jack. "What do you want, Sparrow," he spat with a grimace. "Could I 'ave a word with Ella over there? Just a word, mate. I'm not goin' ta' do any 'arm," he smirked convincingly.

"Oh fine," Matthew replied, "I suppose I could give you a final word with your love." Matthew smiled as all the men jeered and laughed at Jack, mocking him for allegedly having a "love". But Jack just smiled and replied, "My thanks, mate," giving Matthew an all-knowing, mysterious look.

"Gab," Jack whispered urgently when he had reached me, "I 'appen ta' know about a certain tribe of natives tha' live on this 'ere island, because it seems tha' you an' I are both governor. They're friendly, fer sure, but tell them tha' yer Calypso, tha' goddess of tha' sea. They've been waitin' fer her for centuries now, an' it's the only way you'll get out alive." He gave me a serious look, his eyes asking if I understood. I nodded, biting my lip and putting on a brave face. "Aye," I said, "Gabriella, Ella, an' now Calypso. It be a wonder tha' I don't 'ave identity confusion." I smiled, reassuring Jack the best I could.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to say something more, Matthew shouted, "Alright, Sparrow, your time's up. Ella, my dear, if you'd be so kind..." he said as I was pushed over in his direction. "And Ella, we just wanted you to know that if you ever do manage to get off this little... vacation spot..., your Jack will be dead before you can reach him. We're taking him to Port Royal, turning him in for ransom." He cruelly smiled as he saw my shocked reaction.

And then I was shoved, unceremoniously, off the plank.

The first thing I felt was cold. For the Caribbean, the water was cold. I swam to the surface, gasping for air, and flailing my arms about to try to stay afloat. Someone had tossed a pistol in after me, but I hadn't bothered to get it. It wouldn't have been much use anyhow. Gathering what was left of my quickly draining strength, I swam to shore, collapsing when I hit the sand.

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It was going to be a longer chapter, but then i decided that i wouldn't keep you hanging for any longer, because that would be just cruel.

Read and review!

Yours,

--ella.

_Captain Ella Raven_


	14. Chapter 14

'ello everyone! Two chapters today, aren't you all lucky? It's because I love you. Really. And since I love you all so much, you should love me equally and review. Because you love me. And Gabriella. Right... if that made any sense at all: READ & REVIEW, LOVES!

**Chapter Fourteen**

I woke up in a hut. _Bloody 'ell_, I thought to myself,_ somethin' terrible is gonna 'appen an' I'm going ta' be eaten or somethin'._ And then, as a small afterthought, _'ey... I be talkin' like a pirate again. Must been spending too much time with Sparrow._

My thoughts were interrupted by the swish of the animal pelt that hung across the doorway being moved, and someone entering the room. It was a woman, and I was surprised to see that it was a white woman. She wasn't a native, from the looks of it, and this puzzled me. She had long, fiery red hair, a china doll's complexion, and sparkling hazel eyes. She looked friendly, but I still kept on my guard, my hand automatically going to the dagger hidden at my hip for protection.

"Hello," she greeted me, "My name's Blair." She paused and flushed a slight pink, "I promise I won't hurt you. Please don't pull any weapon on me," she said hurriedly.

I paused to take in the woman before me. She looked about my age, her hazel eyes were open and honest. She had a kind face, full of freckles that told me she must have been here for awhile. What a contrast she was to my own dark complexion and dark, curly hair!

Slowly, I began to speak. "I am Calypso, goddess of the sea," I said, choosing my words carefully, "This is my earthly form. By many I am called Ella Raven. Please take me to your chief."

Blair giggled. "Oh really," she said, "You don't have to fool me. I know you're not Calypso, and in fact, I know exactly who you are. You're Captain Ella Raven, captain of the Poseidon's Wrath, one of the most feared ships in the Caribbean. When I made the passing from Ireland to the Caribbean with my brother seven years ago, we were told to watch out for you and your crew. As it were, we got attacked by another pirate ship, but a friend of mine that was a fantastic artist drew me a picture, because he thought he'd seen you before. Oh my, I admire you so! It must be difficult, captaining a ship of all men," she exclaimed.

I was almost blown away. This girl, this Irish lass, knew exactly who I was and what I looked like. Though the fact was a bit strange, I had taken over many ships in my day, some of them Irish, and I always left some survivors, so there could have possibly been an artist among them. It really mattered little to me.

"Well," I began again, "I had been speaking to someone that was under the impression that I should pretend to be Calypso in order to keep my life, if I was to be mutinied here. And you're not Calypso, are you?"

"Oh no," Blair sighed, "My brother, Cailan, and I were shipwrecked here seven years ago. We're twins, you see, and they saw us as some sort of a sign or something. They took us in, and made us part of their people. I haven't seen my family from Ireland since," she said sadly.

I was confused, and not for the first time since talking to this girl. She only had a hint of an Irish brogue which I was fairly familiar with. She must have noticed that I looked puzzled, because she spoke again and addressed the very thing I had been thinking about.

"One of the elders here was English, and that is why my brogue is almost gone. He told me that I needed to be able to be understood, so he won't allow me to speak my native language, Gaelic, and I have to have speech lessons daily. It's such a bore. But what he doesn't know is that Cailan and I speak Gaelic when we're by ourselves. Say, are you alright? You don't look so good..."

Suddenly, I did feel weak. Very weak. And I knew, immediately, that my chest must be very far away. I passed out of consciousness, the whole world going dark.

I dreamt that I was on the Poseidon's Wrath again, with Jack. We were happy, happier than I had ever been, and happier than I had ever seen Jack lately. Suddenly, a small child runs up and grabs my knees, shouting "Mommy!" Jack scooped the little girl up, saying "Jade, yer goin' ta' get a spankin' for almos' knockin' yer mother over!" He laughed teasingly and tickled the little girl until she was almost in tears. It was then I looked down and noticed that I was with child. Very with child. Just as I was about to ask what was going on, and why I was pregnant, I awoke.

This time, there was a man with Blair. He looked almost exactly like her, except his hair was dark, like mine. They had the same green eyes, though, and he shared her fair complexion. I assumed that this was Cailan.

"Oh, Ella... do you mind if I call you Ella? I'm so glad you're alright. I got so worried when you just up and passed out like that! Are you alright? Do you need anything? Can I get you anything—..." She was cut off by her brother, who spoke in a tone that was the polar opposite to his sisters hyper near-screeching. "Blair. You're going to upset her even further. Calm down. You need to do less speaking and more talking," he said.

Simultaneously, they turned to me. "Ella," Blair started again in a considerably calmer tone, "Are you alright?"

I sighed, and spoke. "Well, mates, there is probably something that you all should know..." And with that, I told them everything. All of the things that had happened, both long ago and recently. I poured my heart out, but never cried. What was in the past was in the past, and that I couldn't change. The future was what I was more focused on. The future I had the power to alter. I could, and would, do anything necessary to get my life, get my soul, back.

Cailan and Blair both listened intently, and when I was finally finished, they sat there in silence. It was Cailan who finally spoke first. "Your friend, Captain Sparrow, was right, Captain Raven. You need to pretend to be Calypso for this tribe to accept you. Then, when you figure out what it is that you need to do next, we will help you get there. Don't worry."

Then Blair piped up. "Ella," she said, "Make sure that you tell the chiefs that you are a pirate captain. They'll be more impressed, considering that Calypso is the goddess of the seas. They'll really believe you if you tell them that you're Calypso, reincarnated as a pirate queen."

And that was how I found myself being escorted by a set of Irish twins to the elders' hut.

The problem was, though, was that I was growing considerably weaker. While I was telling Blair and Cailan my story, I kept passing out, each time having the same dream and waking up at the same part, except for the last time, there was a shadowy figure in the corner, whom I could see with my peripheral vision. The episodes of unconsciousness became more and more frequent as the story went on, and I became more and more frightened. And now, as I was walking to the hut, I wondered... _what's going to happen to me?_

The chiefs' hut was a dark, warm place filled to the brim with strange jars and collections of various objects, and also had an assortment of strange sounds and smells. I was led to the middle of a spacious room, where several old men were seated around the fire, with women next to them that I assumed to be their wives. I cleared my throat and they all looked up.

_This is it..._ I thought.

"I am Calypso, goddess of the seas," I began, and they all looked shocked. _Well,_ I thought smugly,_ that really got their attention_. "I have been reincarnated as a pirate queen, or pirate captain, if you prefer. I command the ship the Poseidon's Wrath. I have been bestowed with misfortune by man lately, and I have come to you, my faithful, seeking refuge and assistance.

"I am in need of finding my ship, and it's crew, and sailing to Port Royal, where I have serious business to attend to. It needs to be done, and fast. Unfortunately, my powers have been weakened, and I was wondering if you could help me locate my ship."

The elders murmured amongst themselves as I stood majestically, my hands on my hips and my dark hair flowing around my waist, blue eyes flashing. Finally, one stood and spoke.

"Goddess Calypso," he began, "We are honored by your presence. We do not doubt your story, because you have your true eyes. According to our legends, Calypso has piercing blue eyes, eyes as blue as her ocean, her Caribbean. We will help you. Come back tonight, after the sun sets, and we will tell you where your ship is, and where it is headed." With that, he bowed, and I was ushered out of the room by the twins.

Once we were outside, Blair bubbled over. "You were fantastic, Ella! I really believed you were Calypso!" Cailan silenced her. "Blair, you bloody fool, keep it down! In order for Captain Raven to trick the elders, we have to keep up the act too. There are spies everywhere, and you know that. Don't be so foolish."

And with that, I passed out, again. I had the same dream, and again I woke up in a hut. Except this time, the hut was elaborately decorated with silks and expensive fabrics of every variety, as well as gems of every size, color and shape. Cailan left the room, and Blair gave me a beautiful cornflower blue silk dress, one that was light and flowy, to wear, as well as sapphires to put in my hair.

"If you are to be Calypso," she whispered in my ear, "You have to look the part."

She left me alone, and I sat there, alternating between unconsciousness and consciousness. When I was conscious, I was thinking. What was to happen to Jack and I?

&&&

READ & REVIEW!


	15. Chapter 15

Hey everyone! I only got 2 reviews : Please give me some more for this next chapter? Because I love you all ever-so-much: Alrightayy, read and review.

**Chapter Fifteen**

That night, I went again to the elders' hut. The meeting was brief, but very helpful. I was told that the elders had somehow contacted the Poseidon's Wrath, and it was making its way here. They wouldn't tell me how they did it, but all that really mattered was that my ship and my crew would be here within a few days. As they spoke, I could feel my strength returning, if only a little bit. Now, all I had to do was wait.

Two days passed rather uneventfully; I got to know the twins that were seemingly at my side at all times. Cailan was the more reserved of the two. His green eyes always showed him to be thinking about something. He was tall, tall and muscular, because the tribe had made him a warrior. His dark brown hair was always messy and in his eyes, which he always blew out of his face with a cute gesture that I was becoming more and more familiar with. He thought everything through, and was quiet when he wasn't used to you. Unlike his sister, he was calm, seemingly in any situation.

Blair, on the other hand, was always talking. Even when she wasn't really saying anything, she was always talking. Blair's sparkling green-ish/hazel eyes matched her brothers, but she was significantly shorter, and also sported the fiery red hair that the Irish are famous for. Unlike her brother, she was hyperactive at every moment of every day. I would often look at her and Cailan and wonder if they really were related at all. I found out quickly that Blair hated her hair. She would always plait it into a long braid, that reached the small of her back. She told me once that the only reason that she kept it long, was that it reminded her and Cailan of their mother, whom apparently had the same long, red locks.

On the day that the Poseidon's Wrath was supposed to arrive, I was uncharacteristically excited and nervous. I sat for hours on the beach, watching, waiting. Waiting for the moment when I'd see billowing sails on the horizon, beckoning to me. Calling me home.

It was almost nightfall when they arrived. I had been in my hut, resting, when Blair burst into the room, gasping for breath. "Ell--- Calypso," she said, panting, "The horizon --- the sails... come quickly!"

I never ran so fast in my life.

Once I reached the beach, I stood and watched as my majestic ship weigh anchor, and send a long boat out. They were here. I was going home.

Once the longboat got close enough, I ran out, into the waves to meet it. My dress was tossed and swirled about by the waves, and my hair, now longer than ever before, was dotted with the splashes that I had kicked up, the sapphires sparkling in the brilliant sunset. As soon as I saw Wesley, I cried tears of joy. He leaped out of the longboat and swept me into an embrace.

"Oh Wes," I cried, "Thank you. You kept her safe. Thank you."

He looked at me, in a beautiful, flowing dress that was now partially soaked and sapphires scattered amongst my curls, and smiled. "Ella Raven. You certainly have a knack for getting yourself into the most interesting situations, don't you? I expect to hear the whole story once we get you back on the ship, and with a bottle of rum in your hand. Your stories are always better that way."

I playfully slapped him on the arm, feigning anger and hurt. "Why Wesley," I said, "How dare you insult my storytelling, when your own stories couldn't keep a rock interested!"

I led him, and the crew that had come with him, onto the island, once again assuming my Calypso role. The elders had gathered and had watched what had happened in the water, and they had realized that I intended to leave.

"Thank you," I said simply. "Thank you for finding my ship and my crew. I promise that good favor will always be bestowed upon this island and her inhabitants. I will never forget the kindness you have shown me."

The elders murmured in delight; it wasn't every day that a supposed goddess blesses your island, after all. A grand chest was brought out and set in the sand. Blair stepped forward.

"Goddess Calypso," she began, "We are grateful for your blessing upon our fair island. As a token of our appreciation of you bestowing us, both with your blessing and with your visit, we ask you to accept this gift from our people."

I nodded, and turned to Wesley.

"Make ready the longboat! I'm going home!" I shouted in joy.

&&&

Later, when I was gathering the things that had came with me, Blair silently came into my hut and approached me.

"Ella," she said quietly, "I have a grand favor to ask of you. And you can say no, if you want to. But I really would like it if you would say yes..."

I nodded, to tell her to continue.

"Ella," she began again, "Cailan and I are tired of this island. We need to go somewhere with our own people, see civilized, familiar faces. Please, Ella, let us go with you on your ship. You may drop us off in Port Royal if you want, but please. Just take us away from here." Tears were now glistening in her eyes, and I found that I couldn't say no to my newfound friend.

"Blair, you can come. And Cailan too. Pack up your things and be ready to leave within the half-hour."

Blair smiled the biggest smile I had seen on her face.

&&&

Hours, later, I was standing at the helm of the Poseidon's Wrath, feeling her wood under my fingertips. I now had as much strength as I possibly could, because I had found that Wesley had done the unthinkable: he had managed to keep the chest away from Matthew and have it remain in his possession.

I was steering my ship, my beauty, and looking at the stars. They were shining so brightly that night, mirroring my own happiness. The sapphires were still in my hair, but I had changed back into my breeches, shirt and vest. I was so involved in my own thoughts, and gazing at the horizon, which seemingly blended with the sea, that I didn't notice another ship pull up beside us until it was too late.

A single figure swung over to the Poseidon's Wrath, and slowly walked the deck and up the stairs until he had nearly reached the helm. My had was on my cutlass, now, and I drew it from its sheath as the figure moved towards me.

"Gabriella," he said.

My sword clattered to the ground as my mouth hung open.

"Grandfather?"

&&&

Ohhhhhhh cliffy! Haha read and review because you love me!

Yours,

--ella.

_Captain Ella Raven_


	16. Chapter 16

Well, well, well. So, since I do love you all, please read and review. I really would love to know what you think of everything so far... I only got 15 hits on my last chapter, and my first was like 500! I'd really appreciate it if you would all review... it would make me oh-so-happy. Now, on with the chapter...

But first, a lovely Disclaimer: the usual. And the same goes for the last two chapters, too. (homeskillets. EmKat.)

**Chapter Sixteen**

I stared, openmouthed. It certainly was my grandfather, though he looked older than when I had last seen him, 10 years ago. But 10 years ago, he had died. There was something seriously wrong with this scenario, and unraveling strange situations like this was not my forte.

It was definitely my grandfather, though. He held himself with the same arrogant airs, and he had the same haughty look on his face, but a kind look in his eye. He smiled, almost mocking me for being so confused.

"Why Gabriella," he said, "How kind of you to invite me to your quarters. We have much to discuss, you and I." And with that, he made his way down to the Captain's Quarters, expecting that I would follow, which I did.

Once we were finally there, I burst out, "Grandfather, but you were dead! Grandmother told me! And I took the Poseidon's Wrath! What's going on here?"

He smiled, a calculating gaze following. He took his time responding, as was his custom, and instead looked around the room, his gaze falling on the many treasures and odd collections that I had acquired over the years. His eyes sought out my chest immediately. His eyebrows rose, ever so slightly, as if he was interested. I knew he would expect an explanation later, but first I had to wait for him to initiate the conversation. He was very stuck in his ways, and one of those customs was for younger people to obey their elders. Even though I was going on twenty-eight, I was still expected to not speak before spoken to.

After what seemed like a century, he began speaking.

"Gabriella," he said, "You probably have many questions for me. To be honest, I have many for you as well. But first, I shall tell you what I have done, and my reasoning, and then you will share with me what you have been up to, and what trouble you have gotten yourself into lately."

I nodded. There was no disagreeing with Grandfather, even though I was an adult. As a child, he almost frightened me at times with his strictness, and I was feeling that old sensation slowly creeping back.

"Ten years ago, you were eighteen years of age. I had taught you almost everything I knew about sailing, about ships, and about piracy. Piracy was my trade, as I expect you know now, but I had successfully kept it a secret from you, as I promised your father. However, I could see that Morgan blood ran thick in your veins. You loved the sea just as your father did, and as I did as well. It was plainly obvious to anyone who cared to notice.

"But there was one thing that I needed to find out. When I was with you, the sea was your confidante. You were able to steer a ship with ease, working with the sea instead of against it, just as I had taught you. But that was when I was present. So I planned my own demise to observe your behavior when I was gone.

"You made me proud, you really did. You took the Poseidon's Wrath, just as I had requested, and made a great name for yourself. Captain Ella Raven – a clever name, the name of a much-feared pirate in these waters. Everyone had heard of you, and you were almost as famous as my former apprentice, that Sparrow lad."

At this, I nearly blushed, then caught myself. Blush? I never blush! I'm Captain Ella Raven!

My grandfather continued, and I hoped he hadn't noticed anything. "But then, you disappeared, and I thought my worst fear had been recognized. I figured that you had decided to give up the sea and your ship, and settle down on land and have a family. I was greatly disappointed, until I heard from a source that you had "died in a storm". I knew that that wasn't possible; I had fully prepared you to handle storms of any magnitude, so I figured that you, like me, had faked your own death. I was curious as to why.

Another source of mine spotted you in Tortuga, working at a bar. I was nearly amused, until I found out the reason behind it. I had heard that the nearly unthinkable had happened: your soul was taken, but your body remained intact and functioning. It wasn't until I heard the great details of the story that I realized that I needed to do something.

I am in possession of Davy Jones's heart, as we speak, and so I was able to manipulate Jones into giving me the information that I needed. It seems that your former first mate had came to Jones with a bargain: he would give Jones a certain key and his soul, and Jones would give him the Black Pearl for thirteen years. I threatened Jones, and came up with this..."

With that, he pulled a hand out of his pocket and laid the key on the table. It was the big, heavy key to my chest. It was the one that I had been looking for; the very same one that had brought me out of hiding in the first place.

I went to grab it, but my grandfather stopped me.

"Gabriella," he said very seriously, "I will give you the key if you do something for me in return. On the ship that you are moored with, at this moment, is your father, half-sister, and half-brothers. There is a reason for this.

Long ago, before I met and married your grandmother, I knew a woman, who had taken a fancy to me. Her name was Tia Dalma."

At this, my eyes widened and my mouth hung open. Grandfather with... Tia Dalma? This was unfathomable. He was so refined and she was so... unrefined.

At noticing my surprise, he smiled. "Yes, Tia Dalma had taken quite a fancy to me. But when I chose to take your grandmother as my bride as opposed to her, she got quite angry, and chose to curse my hoard of treasure as revenge. Upon it, she placed this curse: 'Two heirs in one by the one who laughed at fate hold the key to your treasure.' Since then, I have not been able to see hair nor hide of any of my possessions that lie in the cave that is cursed, among them being Davy Jones's heart.

Tia Dalma hinted that I would find the answer in one of my granddaughters. Now, I have three granddaughters: you, your half-sister Charlotte, and your other half-sister Leigh. Leigh is only seven, leaving you and Charlotte. Charlotte is on your father's ship, and now that I have found you, we can begin to unravel this mysterious curse."

"But Grandfather," I interjected, "What does the curse have to do with me?"

&&&

That night, I dreamt the dream that I had been having for weeks now, the one where I was with Jack and a little girl, whom I assumed to be my daughter, and on the Poseidon's Wrath. It was the very same dream, except the shadowy figure, in my peripheral vision, now had a face. It was my grandfather.

I awoke to feeling nauseous, like I was going to throw up at any moment. I tore out of my cabin, leaning over the side of the ship just in time.

_That's funny,_ I thought to myself, _I've never been seasick before._

Almost immediately afterward, my Grandfather called me down to the cabin where he was staying.

"Gabriella, you are acquainted with Jack Sparrow, are you not?"

"Captain," I replied almost immediately, at which my grandfather smirked.

"How... intimately... are you acquainted with Mr. Sparrow?"

"What?" I said, confused.

"Gabriella, I believe that you are with child. And if my sources are correct, this child belongs to our mutual acquaintance, Mr. Sparrow."

I gasped. This couldn't be happening. It was impossible. I had thought it was a dream, produced from an excess of rum. I really did. But then, that would explain the sudden seasickness in the mornings, and the missing of the...

It made sense.

But then, it hit me. If my child was ever to meet its father, I needed to get to Port Royal, and fast. I hadn't thought about it since I had gotten back on the Poseidon's Wrath, but Jack was in trouble. And if I was correct, I would have just enough time to get there before it became too late.

I ran out of the room, ignoring my grandfather's confused looks and shouted orders to the crew in my nightgown.

"Hurry up, ye scurvy dogs! Bring up tha' anchor an' loose tha' sails! Set sail for Port Royal, and make it fast, or ye'll be swimmin' with tha' fishes!"

&&&

Hehe... I love twists.

What did you all think?

Major thanks to EmKat. You are my muse, homeskillet. (ohh man.)

Read and Review, loves!

Yours,

-- Ella.

_Captain Ella Raven_


	17. Chapter 17

Well. Here we are. You're reading, I'm typing. Thanks to everyone who reviewed on Chapter Sixteen, that made my life happier. :) I'm really excited as to where this story is going, (thanks EmKat, my homeskillet), and I finally have figured out exactly where I want this to go. And yes, there will be a sequel. The first chapter is already written. Read and review, loves.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Bloody hell, I was pregnant. Pregnant. I would be having a child in less than a year. It was ridiculous, it really was. Who would have thought that that little "scenario" wasn't a dream at all – but as a result of major excesses of rum, it really happened and I dismissed it as a dream?

Needless to say, I got very little sleep the night that Grandfather broke the news. We hadn't made way for Port Royal as quickly as I had ordered and wanted to, but instead my grandfather went over to my father's ship and informed him of our heading, so we were en route, with my father's ship, the Lionheart, following.

I had yet to meet my father or my half-siblings. I wasn't entirely sure if I really wanted to, anyway, so I had purposefully kept my distance.

The days that followed were uneventful. I alternated between steering at the helm and sitting in my cabin, reading. Much of the time I spent at the helm, I also thought about the child that I was carrying. What would it look like? Would it have my curly hair and light eyes, or would it have it's father's eyes and high cheekbones? And most importantly, would it be a boy or a girl?

I also thought about the curse on Grandfather's treasure. _Two heirs in one by the one that laughed at fate hold the key to your treasure._ It sounded so strange – it made absolutely no sense to me, but then again, decoding curses was never my forte.

While I was at the helm, one time out of countless, Blair approached me cautiously. Since I had never known her to be cautious, I was wary of what she was going to say.

"Ella..." she began, "You know that... man... your first mate...?"

"Well I should hope tha' I know 'im, Blair, he is part of my crew, after all."

"I... umm. I... well... erm. I... I THINK HE'S REALLY HANDSOME," she finally spat out.

I stood there, gaping. Blair liked Wesley? What was the world coming to? I mean, Wesley was actually sort of attractive, if you liked incredibly clean-cut, well-polished men (which I obviously didn't, seeing as whose child I was currently carrying), he would be **very** attractive, now that I gave it some thought. So much thought, in fact, that I had almost forgotten about Blair, who was standing before me, blushing nervously.

"Well, Blair... what would you like me to do about it?" I said, confused.

"Ella... could you... do you think you could... talk to him?"

"Talk to him? I talk to him all the time, Blair. But if you want me to talk to him about a specific topic..." I said, one eyebrow raised.

"Oh thank you, Ella!" she threw herself at me in an embrace.

"Whoa, there, Blair. We have other ones to consider besides just me. You wouldn't want to be squishing anyone, now would you?" As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I had forgotten that it was only my grandfather and I that knew that I was pregnant.

Blair's green eyes widened in disbelief. "You... you're with CHILD?" she practically screamed. "AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?"

By that time, half of the crew had turned to look at us in curiosity. "Blair, will you hush?" I hissed, and then to the crew I yelled, "Nothing to see 'ere, men. Get back to work! I want to be in Port Royal by nightfall!"

With that, I pulled Blair into my cabin.

&&&

"Yes, Blair," I finished, "I'm sort of a bloody idiot for getting drunk in the first place, but the fact of the matter is that I happen to be carrying Jack Sparrow's child, and that we are being followed by my grandfather and the man of whom I am an illegitimate heir."

Blair seemed to have finally digested this piece of information when a scrap of parchment on my desk peaked her interest, and she grabbed it. "Two heirs in one by the one that laughed at fate hold the key to your treasure," she read aloud. "Ella, what is this? What does it mean?"

"I don't know, Blair, I responded tiredly. It's a curse that this voodoo priestess, Tia Dalma, put on my grandfather's hoard of treasure, supposedly because he didn't marry her, or something ridiculous like that. Apparently he needs to get to his treasure for some reason, and he asked me to help him figure out the code. I'm bloody awful at that, though."

Blair, on the other hand, seemed to be only half-listening as she intently studied the piece of parchment in her hand. "Two heirs by one..." she whispered under her breath. "Two heirs by one... Ella, do you realize what this could possibly mean?"

She was cut off by Wesley shouting, "Captain! We're docking in Port Royal!"

"Later, Blair, later. First and foremost, we have to get our friend Captain Sparrow out of this particularly unfortunate fix."

&&&

After much arguing and heated discussions from both parties, my Grandfather had one our argument and I was on my way over to the Lionheart, to meet my father and half-siblings. Whenever I paused mid-step, my grandfather gave me a push from behind and forced me to continue. For some reason, I was nervous. How would these people, people that I had never known, accept me as their half-sibling? Would they be resentful, because I wasn't a child of their mother's? And what of my father? He was a commodore. Commodore Morgan of His Majesty's Royal Fleet in Port Royal, to be exact. And as for me, I was a pirate captain. Commodores and pirate captains aren't the greatest of comrades.

I hesitantly stepped foot onto the deck of the Lionheart, not knowing what to expect. What I found pleasantly surprised me. A man, hearing our approach, went to alert my father as to guests being on his ship.

He arrived on deck a short time later, with my half-siblings following him. He had a kind face, his posture was erect and formal, as was common to a man of his standing. His eyes were kind, but almost a bit sad as they looked at me.

I then turned my attention to my half-siblings. There was a set of twin boys, both tall like our father, but with fair skin and hair, and a girl, younger than I, with the same features as her brothers. Looking into their eyes was like looking into a mirror: they all shared my brilliant blue eyes.

It was the girl who approached me first. Her face was open... honest, and I could tell that she wasn't sure what to make of me. I didn't blame her. Our father had obviously told her who I was, but seeing me in person must have been quite a different story; my wild black curls were held in check by my signature lavender scarf, and I was wearing my normal pirate attire, but for a lady of her social standing and upbringing, meeting a pirate was a tale out of a children's book... it never actually happened.

She strode up to me, and I was unsure of what she would do. What happened next surprised me: she took my hands in her own, and looked into my eyes. "Gabriella," she said. "How lovely to meet you. I'm Charlotte, your half-sister. Father has told us so much about you in these recent days, and I was going positively mad if I had to wait any longer to meet you! These are my brothers, Daniel and Ryan," she said, gesturing to the twins, who slightly smiled.

I nodded by way of acknowledgment. I still was a little wary these half-siblings; I wasn't sure what to make of them.

"Commodore Morgan," I said instead, "I am needing to rescue an... acquaintance... of mine. Captain Jack Sparrow. He is being held in your prison, awaiting the gallows. Please, can you help me?" I switched from my authoritative tone to a more pleading one at that last statement, hoping that it could help me.

My father, Christian Morgan, studied my face, looking for deceit... any trace of a lie, trickery, but seemed to find none. "Very well," he responded, "I shall help you. Charlotte, we will need your help. You are to get your sister into one of your spare dresses, and then take her down to the fort. There is that soldier there that has taken a fancy to you, is there not? Talk to him and keep him occupied long enough for Gabriella to get her friend out of the cells, and then you are to make as quickly an escape as you all can. Am I understood?"

I could see my grandfather in my father. They both spoke with an authoritative tone, and took action. However, my grandfather was arrogant, where my father seemed to lack that trait. But then again, I mentally reminded myself, _you don't know these people at all._

After the torturous process of getting me into one of Charlotte's dresses, we walked down to the fort, and I realized that she was a very sweet girl. When I had first met her, I thought her to be nice, but a bit stuffy and formal, but I realized that that was an air, put on for our father.

We were talking, and I knew it was inevitable for Jack to come into the conversation. He always found his way into a conversation, whether it be about pillowcases or piracy. "So, Gabriella," Charlotte started, but I interrupted her. "Please, Charlotte, call me Ella or Gabby. Gabriella is so... formal," I said with a smirk, "And we all know that I am anything but formal. I am a pirate captain, after all." She laughed in agreement. And then the inevitable question came ---

"Ella, how do you know Jack Sparrow?"

The rest of the walk to the fort was filled with me telling Charlotte all about my time on the Black Pearl with Jack, and ended how I was pregnant. She, unlike Blair, was very calm about the whole ordeal, and I was beginning to like Charlotte more and more.

"Ella," she said, "What are you going to do when you're going to have your child? You can't have it out in the middle of the ocean on some ship; you need to be on land, with a midwife. Not only for your safety, but the baby's as well."

Charlotte had a point. A very logical, reasonable point that I hadn't yet thought of.

"Well..." I began, "I'll... I'll think about that closer to when it will happen."

Conveniently, we had reached the fort.

&&&

As Charlotte flirted and talked to the guards, I wandered past them and found my way to the cells, my eyes searching the dark, dank rows until I found what I was looking for.

In the very last one sat Jack Sparrow himself, hat over his eyes, apparently sleeping. I took this opportunity and stealthily made my way over to his cell, stopping and gazing down at him for a few moments before speaking.

"Well, well. What do we have here? Jack Sparrow. Hmm. And I thought that you couldn't be caught?" I said haughtily.

"**CAPTAIN**!" he said immediately, then sat up quickly when it registered exactly whose voice had been speaking to him, his hat falling from his eyes.

"GABBY, LOVE! So you've come fer ol' Jack, 'ave ye? A lil' 'elp in gettin' from this 'ere cell, maybe?" he said, drunkenly. It was then I noticed an empty bottle of rum in the corner. Leave it to Jack to have bottles of rum on him at all times --- he probably took it from the Pearl before he left. I sighed... this would be more difficult that I had hoped.

"Jack, you need to hush," I said as he drunkenly stared at me, a sloppy smile on his face. "If you keep it down, I'll... I'll help you get the Pearl back," I told him, and at this, he lit up. "Tha' Pearl? Ye've got tha' Pearl? Gabby, why didn't ya say so? Tha' keys be over in tha' corner. Ye've got tha' Pearl!"

Just as I reached the keys, there were heavy footsteps on the stairs, and my mind and heart raced. Would I be soon put into Jack's predicament?

The owner of the footsteps entered the room.

"Alright, Gabriella, this much of the plan has gone accordingly. Now, all we need is to get Mr. Sparrow out of this fort without the soldiers stationed here noticing, and onto the Poseidon's Wrath. We will put him on this cart, and cover him with a sheet. He'll have to stay quiet, and we'll pretend that he's a dead prisoner, and that way we'll be able to pass through the troops." I can genuinely say that I admire my father's preparedness. His timing, not so much.

&&&

We successfully got Jack out of the fort, thanks to my father, and onto the Poseidon's Wrath, where I promptly locked him in the brig with a quilt and pillow. When he started yelling about the whole injustice of the situation, I silenced him, saying, "Go to sleep. When you wake up sober, I'll be happy to let you out. I just have to make sure that you don't do anything... stupid. Savvy?" I said with a smirk, as he frowned in anger of my using his word.

&&&

I went back out on deck, surprised to find Charlotte there.

"Grandfather said that we are taking your ship to try to figure out this prophecy. I am to come, for some unknown reason. I hope you don't mind?" she said. "And I do get a bit seasick, so... I'm sorry, but I won't be the best sailor out of the people on board." I reassured her, leading her to a cabin where she could stay, and making sure that there were blankets and all that she needed. On the way, however, we ran into Cailan. Literally.

"CAILAN!" I cried, falling on the floor, "Watch where you're going!" He helped me up, and then turned to Charlotte, his eyes widening appreciatively.

"Hello, miss, I don't believe we've met. I'm Cailan Brennan." Charlotte blushed and responded, "Charlotte Morgan. Pleasure to meet you." As Cailan bent to kiss her hand, I could feel Charlotte almost bursting with excitement. Once he had walked away, she turned to me.

"Oh, Ella, who is he? He's so... handsome," she said. I groaned inwardly as I led her to her cabin. First Blair and Wesley, and now Charlotte and Cailan? This was getting to be a love boat, not a pirate ship, and I was frustrated. Was everyone in love but me? And I was the only one with child!

Just as I reached my cabin, Blair swung open the door with such a force that it almost knocked me over, and then she dropped yet another surprise on me.

"Ella, has it ever occurred to you that maybe you're carrying twins?"

&&&

An extremely long chapter, so I hope you're all happy. Please read and review, tell me how much you like/dislike it!

Good God, I sound like a broken record, but read and review!

Yours,

--Ella.

_Captain Ella Raven_

PS: Muse, EmKat, homeskillet: I hope you're happy. You're in here. Are you satisfied?


	18. Chapter 18

Hello everyone! I lost power for several days, so I'm sorry about the lack of updating. I wrote several chapters on spare pieces of paper, so I should be getting some up fairly quickly. Bear with me, though! And as always, read and review, because I love it when you do!

Disclaimer: the usual!

**Chapter Eighteen**

All day, I couldn't get what Blair had suggested out of my mind. Even when I was steering at the helm, a place that was normally so peaceful, it seemed as if my mind wouldn't stop going in a million different directions. Twins. _Twins._ As I listened, that night, to the sound of Jack's steady breathing beside me, I thought some more.

Twins. Jack's twins. My twins. But then it occurred to me: what would Jack say? Chances were that he didn't even remember our "encounter", and I doubted that he'd be thrilled at the prospect of a child. Or two. But then again, I didn't really know. After all, he was Jack Sparrow. He could have a million children from his "encounters" over the years... some children that he possibly didn't even know about! After thinking more on this situation, I paused.

Did he really have to know?

A little voice in my head reminded me that I would soon become big. Very big, if Blair's predictions were right.

But... I reasoned, I had heard a rumor that Grandfather has Davy Jones's heart in his possession. Couldn't he just command Davy Jones to give the Pearl back to her rightful owner? There would be the problem of Matthew, but he could be dealt with later.

And what about me? I didn't know much about having children, but I knew that I should probably go inland, at least until my child – or children – was born.

A pang of sadness and hurt struck deep down in my heart. I would have to leave the Poseidon's Wrath, again, and all because of Jack. I had just gotten it back and was just getting used to captaincy again, when this happened. And it was all his fault. After all, if he wasn't there we wouldn't have gotten captured.

But that was a lie, and I knew it.

Furious at having no more excuses for myself, I rolled over to glare at the victim of my mindless rants, and then paused.

Jack's eyes were closed, and his hand was on his chest, which moved up and down rhythmically with each breath. Never faltering, just steady, _in and out. In and out._ His tangled mass of braids, dreadlocks and trinkets were fanned out on the pillow, a stark contrast to the crisp white of the linens. And upon his face, there was a smile. Not the usual smirk that seemed to perpetually adorn his features, but a peaceful smile. Uncharacteristically peaceful.

I turned my attention back to my stomach, which was still flat, and only showed the slightest bump. _If I'm going to keep this from Jack_, I thought, _He's going to have to leave soon, before I start to show._

_But what about the baby, or babies?_ A little voice in my head asked, _Don't they deserve to know their father?_

At the thought of said father, my head turned involuntarily to look again at the other person occupying my bed, and found him staring back at me.

Wide-open, deep brown eyes that were unreadable of any expression or emotion were suddenly locked onto my own blue ones. _Do I tell him? Do I hide it from him?_ I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the decision that i was being forced to make.

"What is it, Gab?" Jack's voice broke through my mental barriers.

"It was then that I made my decision, in a split second.

"Nothing, Jack. It was a nightmare. I've got to go see Grandfather."

And with that, I hopped out of the bed and threw on my clothes as I walked out the door, feeling a pair of deep brown orbs boring into my back the whole way.

And then, giving Jack a small smile, I walked out and shut the door behind me.

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Yeah. So. Read and review, because I love you all so much.

Yours,

-- ella.

_Captain Ella Raven_


	19. Chapter 19

Another chapter today, aren't you all lucky? Yippy. Read and review, to make me happy:)

Disclaimer: the usual.

**Chapter Nineteen**

I stormed into my grandfather's cabin like a child, slamming the door behind me, my eyebrows furrowed and my eyes like fire. He was sitting at the desk, reading something that I didn't particularly care about at that moment. He looked up, only mildly surprised. He had seen many of these outbursts throughout the time that I lived with him and my grandmother.

He gestured for me to sit down, in a large stuffed chair that I remembered well, and was fond of. I realized that he must have had my father bring it over from his ship. I curled in a ball, savoring the luxury of the plush, comfortable leather, and waited for my grandfather to begin speaking.

"What seems to be the matter, Gabriella? You haven't had a fit to match that one since you were a child," he said, studying me carefully.

I thought for a moment, choosing my words carefully, as one needed to do when speaking to someone like my grandfather.

"Grandfather, I find myself in an interesting situation. Not exactly a good interesting, actually. A difficult kind of interesting. I... umm. Well, when I got captured by Matthew, I... well... I became severely... inebriated. Yes. Severely inebriated. And Captain Sparrow and I engaged in some... activities... while severely inebriated, rendering myself... with child. Twins, actually, if Blair is correct."

"Twins," Grandfather repeated thoughtfully. "Interesting, as you say. By your friend Mr. Sparrow? Equally interesting."

"Gabriella, my dear child, I feel the need to share something with you. When I was a lad, during the height of my pirating career, I was wanted by many women, not unlike your 'partner', Mr. Sparrow. One of these women, in particular, was a woman named Dalma. She was... eccentric, if you will, and I wasn't exactly willing to throw myself at her. I will admit, there was a certain allure, because she was quite attractive, but I had my eye on another woman. She was the daughter of a noble in the new colony of Port Royal, Jamaica, and she was as beautiful as she was kind and intelligent. But she didn't want me at all, which of course made me pursue her even more. Finally, she gave in, and she became your grandmother, and my wife, Marie.

Now, Dalma wasn't too pleased with this, and she knew already, because she has the gift of foresight. She warned me that if I didn't divorce my wife and be solely hers, she would curse my descendants and my treasure. This is why I didn't reveal my true identity to you, and also why I staged my own demise. Because Dalma thought that I was gone, she was pleased, because even though she couldn't have me, Marie couldn't either. She found out, however, that I had lied and that I wasn't dead at all, and that was when she put a curse on my treasure. _Two heirs in one by the one that laughed at fate hold the key to your treasure_, as you already know.

Now, I need to get to my treasure, because with the curse, Dalma told me that if I I had seven months to unravel the curse, or my treasure would be lost to the sea. Seven months is almost up, and I still have not gotten much farther with this curse.

You bring to me an interesting story, Gabriella. If what you are saying holds true, then you just might be the key to my treasure, which also fulfills another prophecy that Dalma foretold when you were given to your grandmother and I, which was something like: _Take this child, teach her your ways, or in the end, it will be you that pays._

I found it a load of nonsense, but Marie is the superstitious sort, and so we kept you and brought you up in sailing and piracy.

At any rate, if you are carrying twins, then it is two of my heirs – your twins – in one heir of mine – you – which would leave 'by the one that laughed at fate'."

Henry Morgan paused here, as if considering whether or not a thought of his would work.

"Gabriella, bring your friend Blair in here. I wonder if she could not help us out with this situation."

I was immensely confused by all of this information, but I did as I was told.

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Once Blair had gotten into the room, she sat down in a chair, equally confused as I was.

Luckily for us, Grandfather spoke.

"Blair, my granddaughter tells me that you predicted that she would have twins. Is this correct?" Blair nodded and whispered a barely audible "Yes".

"I have you both here so that we can figure out whether or not a theory of mine is correct. Gabriella, you are fairly certain that you are having twins, no? And that takes care of one prophecy and half of another. However, I do have a question for you, Blair.

The second half of the prophecy is, _by the one who laughed at fate_. Do you have any ideas on who this is referring to?"

Blair's eyes were directed towards her hands, which were fumbling in her lap. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and her lips were bunched up on the right side of her face. Grandfather and I watched her for while, and finally she spoke.

"Captain Raven," she addressed me formally, "I have a question for you. Jack Sparrow – did he ever... cheat death, _per se_?"

Now it was my turn to think. "Well," I began, "He did owe Davy Jones his soul, and he escaped both the noose and the Kraken..."

"Good," she responded quickly. "That could work..."

Grandfather and I watched her with identical icy blue eyes, studying the girl in front of us as she thought, her face changing expression with each fleeting idea.

"I've got it," she said slowly.

"_Two heirs in one by the one that laughed at fate._ You and your twins, Captain Raven, are the 'two heirs in one', and Jack must be 'the one that laughed at fate', because he's escaped death so many times, and he is the father of your children, after all."

I gaped at her, but Grandfather just looked satisfied. "Thank you, Blair. You may go now."

Once she had left the room, Grandfather turned to me again.

"Now, Gabriella. Did you want something when you came to see me?"

"Yes, Grandfather," I replied, "I was wondering... well, I decided to not tell Jack about the whole me-having-children thing. So I was curious if you could find some way to get Jack to leave the ship before I get too... big."

Grandfather smiled a cat-like smile, that was almost frightening. "Lucky for you, Gabriella, I am in possession of the heart of Davy Jones, rendering him under my control. You will probably ask how I came into possession of this valuable item, but I won't tell you. All that I will say right now is that I did, and I can do you a big favor.

I will persuade Jones into getting the Black Pearl back for your 'partner'. He can take his ship, and then you'll be separated. But this isn't set in stone. There is always the chance that Mr. Sparrow will try to board your ship, and you can't refuse to grant him to board, or he will know that something is wrong.

I advise you, Gabriella, to go on land as soon as necessary, until the remainder of your pregnancy, and until your children are old enough to be on land. Believe me, I know how hard this will be for you, but it will be best.

You should make secret arrangements for your ship and crew in the meantime."

I sat still, absorbing all that Grandfather had just told me, and realizing that the rumor that I had heard was, in fact, truth. But I still had one more question.

"Grandfather, I thank you for your advice, and as much as it pains me to leave my ship, I see that it must be done to protect both myself and my children. I have one question, however.

I had a dream, last night, very briefly. In the dream, I was in a woman's home, her name was Tia Dalma, the woman that took my soul. In my dream, she said that if I didn't have it back soon, my children would be harmed and I would also suffer.

Grandfather, I need that key."

"No."

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And you know what I'm going to say already --- read and review!

Thanks for all of your support, loves.

Yours,

-- ella.

_Captain Ella Raven._


	20. Chapter 20

mmmm... sorry for the wait. I didn't get many reviews, but thank you to the people that did review. And i know I'm going to sound like a broken record, but if you read this, please take the time to review. It's incentive to get chapters up faster.

**Chapter Twenty**

That evening, Grandfather summoned me to his cabin. It was strange, because I was the captain of the ship and normally it was me who was doing the summoning. But I went to his cabin anyway, because he is Captain Morgan, and no one even thinks about ignoring a "summoning" from Captain Morgan. I admired him for this. He was ruthless, but this ruthlessness earned him the title of one of the most respected and feared pirates in the Caribbean and also the Spanish Main.

Once I came to his room at the appropriate time, the first thing that I noticed was a long, iron poker in the fire. I couldn't see the end, but it made me wary. My grandfather must have noticed my apprehension, because he smirked a little, and then began speaking.

"Gabriella," he told me, his voice cold and stern, "there are two sides to the Morgan family: the law-abiding side and the pirates. Eventually, there comes a time when you need to choose one end of the spectrum or the other. I know that you want me to summon Davy Jones and get the Black Pearl back for Sparrow, but I will do it only if you make an important choice that will benefit the both of us.

Either you will allow me to brand you a pirate, and forever be known as an infamous captain, whether you want to or not, or you will give up your ship and permanently locate yourself in Port Royal as a law-abiding citizen. If you refuse to make the choice, I refuse to summon Davy Jones for you."

I stared at him, openmouthed, in disbelief. My own grandfather wanted to burn a mark in my skin that would ostracize me for the rest of my days. I would have to wear long-sleeved gowns and take many precautions to hide this branding, if I ever wanted to escape my pirating days, or if it was necessary for my safety. Though it seemed that Grandfather was pushing me to give up the Poseidon's Wrath (I figured that that was the end of the spectrum that would benefit him), the choice was relatively simple for me.

To live a life without feeling the immense power of a ship underneath my fingers, to not feel the salty spray of the sea on my face or the wind entangling its fingers in my hair, to never have the feeling a ship rocking with each wave on the vast ocean beneath the tons of wood and metal beneath my feet... and instead to trade it for corsets and bonnets, and even more sufferable and constricting husbands. This life, one without the sea, and in its place, a position in society, was not deemed to be worth living, in my eyes.

All through my life, I had things thrown at me that were out of my control. I lost my soul and my ship, and I couldn't do anything about that, when my grandfather faked his death in the first place, there was nothing that I could do. The list follows with endless things, both significant and insignificant, that I had no power of. This decision I was faced with was something major, to be sure. Something that would mark me for the rest of my days, but it was a decision that I could make all on my own.

I held my arm out, signifying my choice.

Something sparked, suddenly, in my grandfather's eyes. Something like a mixture of surprise and anger, but there was some pride there too. Pride that I had showed to him that Morgan blood does indeed run thick in my veins, thicker than the traitorous Rodriguez blood that also ran there. He brought the brand out of the fire, grasping the handle of the poker I had noticed earlier. _So he had been planning this_... I thought to myself. Sometimes, I didn't know what side he was on.

He held the brand near my skin, the "P" glowing an eerie yellow-orange, warning me of what was to come. Then, all at once, intense pain wracked through my arm and coursed through the rest of my body. I bit back a bloodcurdling scream, instead a low growl escaped my throat. Without even realizing it, I looked deep into my grandfather's eyes, searing into him with a look of pure hatred, just as he was searing into my flesh with the glowing iron.

The branding iron dug deeper, deeper into my arm, eliciting every ounce of strength and pride that I possessed not to scream until my lungs were weak. I was a Morgan, no matter what anyone said. A Morgan. My nails dug into the palms of my hands as the pain mounted, and then finally, he drew away, and shoved the iron back into the fire.

I gazed at my arm. Where once was a tanned, smooth surface, now was a bloody imprint in the shape of a P. I knew that it would take a long time to heal, but it was then that I realized I had no idea how to care for it. My pride, however, wouldn't allow me to even inquire after Grandfather, and instead, when he came towards me to look, I pushed him away, not wanting him to see what he had done, because I feared if he came too close, he might see that I was breaking down inside.

Without a word, he pulled up his own shirtsleeve, revealing to me an identical brand that left me seething. He didn't have to take extra care to cover up this mark, to him, it was a mark of heroism. One that reminded him of how he was a infamous pirate. I glared at him, willing him to burst into flames right before my eyes.

With that, I turned on my heel, flinging open the door and hearing a satisfying splinter as it met the wood of the wall. Opening the palm of my hand, I let the blood from my fingernails digging into my palms trickle out on the floor of his cabin, right before the door. And with that, I stormed out of the cabin and into the hall.

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I was on the warpath as I stalked to my cabin, scattering various crewmembers left and right without a word. The look on my face was apparently enough incentive for them to move. I reached my cabin, and slamming the door behind me, I paused to listen to the sound resonate throughout the whole ship. And then I made my way to my desk.

I curled up in the chair, cradling my wounded arm as a mother would hold her newborn, which brought the thought to my mind that soon, I would be cradling a child in a very similar fashion. I pushed that thought to the corners of my head, promising to think about the situation at hand, and then think about the situation that was forever lurking in my subconscious.

First, I thought on my grandfather. When I was growing up in his home, before I knew who he was, Captain Henry Morgan was always my favorite pirate out of all of them that I had studied. He had been governor of several ports in Jamaica, had numerous exploits, and I emulated him. I wanted to be just as famous, just as feared and respected. But now? Now, I knew the true Morgan. The man behind the tales and rumors. This was a cowardly man; he was no hero. This man, supposedly a man who was the most feared pirate in the Caribbean and the Sparnish main would brand his own granddaughter a pirate, forever making her an outcast? He would lie to her for her whole life, on the false pretenses of protecting her?

This man was not the Henry Morgan that I had read about. Outwardly, he showed the signs of being Morgan, with his booming voice and imperious commands, his omnipresence, but he wasn't. This man, who had once been my hero, was rapidly becoming an enemy. But that is where the problem lies. I really, truly, didn't know whose side he was really on, and this frightened me.

The door opening, slowly, broke into my thoughts as I looked up, glaring, thinking it was my grandfather coming to provoke my wrath. Instead, I saw Jack. He hesitated for a moment when he saw my expression, but then smirked and sauntered in when my glare twisted into a scowl.

"Gabby, Gabby," he said in a sing-song voice, "what 'ave ye gotten yerself into now?"

_If only you knew, Jack. If only you knew I did this to get your stupid Pearl back!_ I thought to myself, my scowl deepening as I contemplated.

His eyes widened when he saw my arm, and I thought I spotted something in his eyes that resembled sympathy. "Ye've got ta' keep it uncovered, love," he said softly, "Otherwise tha' fabric will stick ta' tha' brand an' then it'll be more trouble than it be worth. 'ere," he said, offering me a bottle of rum, "It'll dull tha' pain, at leas' fer a while."

I took a sip as he began speaking again, the liquid sliding easily down my throat and warming my entire body, my thoughts turning fuzzy.

"Yer grandfather set our course fer some godforsaken island. Any idea wha' 'e be up to?"

"Island?" I sputtered, spitting my rum all over Jack, who was perched on my desk, across from where I was sitting.

"Love," he complained, "I drink tha' rum, not bathe in it. An' aye. 'e set a course fer some island tha' I've only faintly 'eard of before. Maybe 'e be lookin' fer treasure?" he said hopefully.

"That's it, Jack," I said, slightly inebriated already, "Treasure. Oh, Jack..." and I crawled across the table and into his embrace, minding my injury. And through my drunken haze, something clicked. There was something right with being there, in his arms, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I yawned, and just before I dozed off, on my desk and in Jack's arms, my subconscious yelled at me.

_If Grandfather's plotting course to get the treasure, we're meeting up with Davy Jones. Don't get too attached, Ella, he'll be gone from your life forever before you know it._

And to my surprise, that thought made me sad.

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I'm back! Hopefully everyone will like this chapterrr... so if you read it, review and tell me what you thought about it, good or bad. And remember, anonymous reviews are fine by me, I just like to get feedback. Thanks!

Yours,

--Ella.

_Captain Ella Raven_


	21. Chapter 21

mmmm. another chapter. I know exactly where this story is going now and i'm pretty excited. Before i was just kind of winging it. There's going to be a bunch of chapters following this though. And a sequel that has yet to be titled. So, read and review, please. Your reviews keep me going.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

I woke up the next morning abruptly. I stretched, realizing that Jack must have moved me to my bed during the course of the night, and he was snoring beside me. I looked at him for a moment, smiling slightly. After last night, which I hardly remembered, my feelings were even more confused towards him. I made my way across the cabin to my armoire, choosing a clean shirt and pants, sliding on my boots and tying a fresh lavender scarf in my curls, and then stringing my canary diamond necklace around my neck. I closed the drapes in the windows, letting Jack sleep longer. There had been dark circles around his eyes lately that I had noticed, so I decided to give him some rest, and I tiptoed out of the cabin.

I emerged from below deck, shielding my eyes from the sunlight that was so customary to the Caribbean. I glanced down at my arm, wincing slightly but otherwise ignoring the pain that still lingered. I made my way over to the helm, where Wesley was steering, holding a strange compass out in front of him. Suddenly, he started shouting orders.

"Lower the anchor on the starboard side! We need to turn her around!" The crew scurried to do his bidding, and I made my way up to the helm to discuss our bearings.

"Wes. What is my grandfather doing? What are our bearings? WHERE THA' 'ELL ARE WE GOING?" I nearly shouted at him, and then calmed down. Everyone was under enough stress already without the added strain of my constant screaming.

Wesley frowned. "Captain Morgan gave me the bearings, and then told me to do exactly what I just told the crew: once we get there, lower the anchor on the starboard side so she turns around, and then wait. Then he mumbled something about Davy Jones, but I didn't catch it." My eyes widened. "Wes," I said, "Tell the crew to get ready. We've made ourselves an appointment with Davy Jones."

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I nearly ran down to my cabin several minutes later, after making sure that my crew was armed to the teeth, just in case. I opened the door to find Jack going through my maps and plotting some courses. He looked up when I practically flew in the door, almost tearing it from it's hinges.

"Jack," I paused. "What... what are you doing?" I said, completely confused.

"'ello Gab, love! I be plotting some courses so tha' we don't get bored, all by our onesies with nothin' ta' do! We can go exploring!" It was then that I noticed a bottle of rum, empty, and several of its companions, also empty.

"Jack," I practically snapped, "Now is not the time to be plotting out drunken courses to god-knows-where. We are meeting Davy Jones very soon, so you need to get ready."

"Drunk? Who said I was drunk?" He replied, angrily. "I am not drunk. I already explained ta' ye wha' I was doing, an' you assumed I was drunk! Wait. Jones? Gab, do ye know wha' ye be gettin' into? An' why do we 'ave to meet Jones in tha' first place?" he said, worriedly.

"Jack, get your things together. We're going to Jones to get the Pearl back. Don't ask me any more questions right now, we need to get ready."

With that, I left the cabin, leaving Jack staring at my retreating form, openmouthed.

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I was on deck when the Flying Dutchman arrived. She came with an eerie fog trailing in her wake, and when she pulled up alongside of us, I couldn't help but shiver. I was armed down to daggers in my boots, so I wasn't frightened of being able to defend myself. Just the thought of so many souls, lost to this ship, frightened me to the core. What if I had been doomed to an eternal service aboard the Dutchman when Matthew had mutinied me?

My grandfather stood beside me, and I glared at him as he called out to Jones.

"Jones," he spoke in a loud, strong voice, "I am in need of something that you possess."

As if on cue, a thumping could be heard, and Davy Jones himself emerged from below deck, sneering, his tentacle beard waving wildly around his head. "Morgan," he hissed, "So nice to see you again. Give me access to board and we'll negotiate."

My grandfather was about to speak when I cut him off. Eyes narrowed at Jones, I spoke in an strong voice, equal to Grandfather's. "This be my ship," I stated, "But aye, permission granted. Come down ta' me cabin an' we'll talk."

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Several hours later, Jones, Grandfather and I were still sitting at my desk.

"So," Jones said, "Ye want me ta' give Jack Sparrow back tha' Pearl, ay? Wha' be in it fer me?"

"I won't do any harm to your heart," Grandfather said, drawing the response out to the needed effect; Jones shuddered and sighed. "Fine." He said, "I will give ye the Pearl. But Morgan," he added, "I 'ave but one question. Is this the lass whose soul you promised me instead of yer own?" he grinned evilly, and I turned to look at Grandfather.

"Aye. This be 'er," he said, matter-of-factly.

"Aye," said Jones, "Tha' be wha' I thought. Tha' whelp Matthew couldn't get a damn thing righ'. We tried to get tha' girl's soul so many times... but tha' first time Tia Dalma got tha' soul out, but then Matthew gave 'er the soul an' kept tha' key, like tha' bloody whelp tha' 'e is, and then he mutinied 'er an' she practically disappeared. An' then ye got me soul, so I can't do anything."

I turned to my Grandfather, seething. Firstly, because Matthew had been working for Jones the whole time, and secondly because if what Jones was saying was correct, then he had given my soul in exchange for his a very long time ago.

"Alright then," Grandfather said, ignoring the deathly looks I was sending in his direction, "where be tha' Pearl?"

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We all came out on deck, and just as I emerged, last, someone grabbed me and held a dagger to my throat. I yelped, but the dagger just pressed more insistently into my skin. Finally, after much struggle, Grandfather glanced over and nearly screamed, "Jones! What do you think that man is doing with my granddaughter. She is necessary to the situation at hand!" The man let me go, and relieved as I was, I was confused at what my grandfather had just said. It was then that I realized that it was Matthew. I shot him a withering glance.

"Matthew, you bloody moron, do you realize how many times you've tried to kill me and failed?" I asked, calmly. "You're worthless. Get out of my sight," I spat, pausing when Grandfather interrupted.

"Jones," he said, "you guaranteed that no harm would come to my granddaughter or her crew while you were on board the Poseidon's Wrath. You've broke that," and with that he stared at Jones, pointedly.

"Fifty lashes!" Jones bellowed, and I smirked. Fifty lashes to Matthew. Though I didn't really want to see it, he had caused me enough pain to deserve it.

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Fifty lashes later, Matthew was gasping for air. And he turned to me and wheezed, "I'll kill you, Ella Raven, if it's the last thing that I do." And with that, he slipped into unconsciousness. I rolled my eyes at the threat. I had survived too many ill-conceived murder attempts from Matthew to take anything that he was saying seriously.

I tore my gaze away from Matthew's limp form when I heard a commotion. I looked over the rail at the ocean not fifty yards away from where our ships were anchored, and there was a massive, spinning whirlpool. I cried out in alarm. "Wes! Get us away from here! We're going to be sucked in!"

Wesley grabbed my arm to stop me from panicking any further. "Relax, Ella," he said, "Watch."

I watched in wonder as a ship, with wood black as night and black sails rose from the depths of the whirlpool, surrounded in an eerie green glow. Then, all at once, it began mending itself, boards nailing themselves back into place, sails hanging neatly. My mouth hung open in wonder. So this was the Pearl in her full glory.

It was a sight to behold, even I had to admit. She was a fine vessel, if under the right captaincy. I spun around when I heard a strangled gasp, and looked directly into Jack's eyes. He was watching his ship with wonder, seeing her restored to her former glory, when he was captain. The black wood glistened in the sun, and the sails flapped neatly in the brisk breeze. Jack turned to me and smiled a genuine smile.

"Gabby, ye did this fer... me?" he said, incredulously.

I nodded, and smiled, feeling a lump rise in my throat all of the sudden. Jack swept me up in an embrace and swung me in circles, laughing gleefully. All of the sudden, he set me down, and then his expression turned serious once more.

"Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon... Morgan," he said, "Thank ye. An'... I'll miss ye. Even though yer a pain, I'll miss ye. Can ye 'elp me stock tha' Pearl with rum ta' last until we get to Tortuga?"

Later, I watched as the majestic black ship sailed into the horizon, as it should be. But I couldn't help but feel that something was missing. I leaned against the railing of the Poseidon's Wrath and thought of how I had everything that I needed, besides my soul and that was coming soon anyway. But my thoughts kept drifting back to Jack. Jack sleeping, Jack drunk, Jack smirking, Jack smiling, Jack concerned, Jack's lips on mine... I placed one hand on my stomach as I watched the Black Pearl and her captain sail off in search of that elusive horizon.

"See?" I whispered under my breath, so only I could hear, "See that, darlings? That's your daddy."

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Another chapter!! Read and review!!

Yours,

--Ella.

_Captain Ella Raven._

PS: Thripweed – Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon is the legal/real name of Ella Raven. Ella Raven's her alter ego, basically.


	22. Chapter 22

Hello everyone, sorry that I sort of disappeared lately. (And sorry about the last line last chapter – I was having a sappy moment) But I'm back! So you all know what to do, read and review and I'll love you forever.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

The next few days – or was it weeks? -- melted together into an indistinguishable blur, and I found myself settling into a dull routine. I would wake up, amazed at how big my formerly flat abdomen had gotten, and was getting, then Grandfather would bring me the day's coordinates, and I would spend the day at the helm. The one light in my normally dull days was the presence of a passenger than I'd forgotten about: my half-sister, Charlotte.

I had been so busy lately that I hadn't been aware of her presence, and at first I was confused as to why she was on my ship in the first place, but then I was informed by Grandfather that he had thought that Charlotte had been necessary for something (he hadn't identified what, but I assumed it was the curse on his treasure), but it turns out that she wasn't. But we couldn't very well throw her overboard, could we?

Once I started to talk to Charlotte, I realized how little I knew about her. It was strange to me to suddenly have a sister, for I had never known my other "siblings" of my mother and her husband, but the idea was foreign that I had a sister, but she was a stranger to me. We started talking, tersely at first, with only a few words to our conversations. I wanted to know more about this girl who was a blood relation of mine, but I wasn't exactly willing to tell her my whole life story the second I started talking to her. I had made that mistake with Jack, for some reason, and I intended not to do it again.

As the days went on, life got more and more dull, and Charlotte and I started talking more and more. We talked about everything, from Grandfather and Grandmother to my ship and how I became a pirate. I finally opened up, and she opened up as well. It was one day, though, that Charlotte told me something interesting. Very interesting.

She told me a tale that she had heard from the servants in her home, one of her mother. She had befriended a woman, a Spanish woman by the name of Isabel Rodriguez. I had been surprised at this, but hadn't shown it. Charlotte's mother, Celine, and Isabel were friends, until they started competing with each other over everything: who had the bigger house, the nicer gowns, the more fashionable hairdos, everything. Isabel's father was a gambler, and one night after several rounds of rum, he lost everything. Celine felt genuinely sorry for her "friend", and invited Isabel to be governess to her children, who were young at the time. Isabel was so angry that Celine had money and she didn't, she seduced Celine's husband, Christian Morgan. She soon found out she was pregnant, and Celine had recently discovered that she could not have any more children. Celine was so angry that she promptly fired Isabel from her position as governess. The servants had gone on to say that Christian had made arrangements for his illegitimate daughter to go to live with his parents, because Isabel was cruel and didn't want the girl anyway, so she went to live with his parents, the infamous Captain Henry Morgan, and his wife, Marie, who were living under aliases. The child was never to know who her grandparents really were, on punishment of death.

After the story, Charlotte smiled a sad little smile. "So you see, Ella, I knew about you all along. I've always wanted to meet my sister, but no one would tell me who she was. One day, though I heard that Papa was in quite the fix because his illegitimate daughter had rose to become one of the most infamous Caribbean pirate captains of our time, and being commodore, it was his sworn duty to rid the seas of pirates. I started studying up on all of the pirates currently sailing these waters, and came across a picture of you in a book. It was actually a good likeness, really. But under the dirt and grime, I recognized my own features, starring out at me from a woman with wild, curly hair a dark complexion, and a large diamond around her neck."

I went to bed that night puzzled. Why would my father care whether I was living with a cruel mother or not? I was an illegitimate child, one who should have meant nothing to him. Normally, noble men had bastard children scattered everywhere, and they didn't give a damn whether or not the children lived or died.

But it was the story of my mother and Charlotte's mother that intrigued me the most. I could hardly remember my mother, but from what I could recall, Charlotte painted a pretty good likeness. She was ambitious, but for all the wrong reasons.

&&&

Captain Jack Sparrow stood at the helm of the Black Pearl, gazing off at an imminent storm and directing his crew to prepare for it. He had planted himself firmly at the helm since he had regained captaincy of his ship, a few weeks back, and had hardly left since. Now, he stroked the dark wood, marveling at how right it felt to have this ship back under his calloused hands. He gazed off into the horizon, his eyebrows suddenly furrowing and his forehead creasing.

He was still confused about the Poseidon's Wrath and its captain. Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon had been a confusing sort as a child, but even more so as an adult. He couldn't figure out why, all of the sudden, she had called Davy Jones and gotten his ship back for him. There was something about the situation that he was missing, because she'd seemed so strange when he left. He had looked through his spyglass for a last glimpse of her, only to see her sitting, forlornly, on the railing of her ship, one hand on her belly.

There had to be something that he wasn't aware of.

Suddenly, his gaze averted to a ship, one that was getting nearer. He pulled out his spyglass and looked through it, identifying it to be a merchant ship, sailing to Port Royal, by the looks of it. He smirked, his golden teeth glinting in the fading sunlight. A storm and a raid, he couldn't be happier.

He smirked again as he sang to himself: "_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me."_

&&&

They were nearing the island: both Charlotte and I could feel it. There was some restlessness, lurking in the depths of my soul, that ached to find out exactly what was on this island, and what we'd have to do to get it. Lately, the topic of choice of Charlotte's and my conversations was about that very island, and what we'd find there.

Finally, after several weeks, one of the men in the crow's nest cried out the words I'd been waiting to hear.

"Land ho!"

&&&

Read and review!

Yours,

--ella.

_Captain Ella Raven_


	23. Chapter 23

Hello everyone! Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and thanks to all who have been so faithful in reading and reviewing this story. And to you people who aren't reviewing, please. Reviews keep me going. Thanks again. (PS: so that no one is confused, there is a flashback is in italics in this chapter.)

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Anticipation and nervousness slowly began to build, starting in the pit of my stomach and creating butterflies that strained against my insides, begging to get out. What was I to expect on this mysterious island? Would it be dangerous, or could we just traipse onto the island, collect the treasure, and come back from whence we came? I knew, though, that I had to get my soul back, and soon. I had been feeling strangely lately, and I had had another dream, one with Tia Dalma warning me that if I didn't get my soul back soon, there would be dire consequences.

My train of thought was stopped abruptly in its tracks when Charlotte came running up to the helm, her face creased with worry and her hair flying out of its normal chignon, the wind whipping it around her face as she ran, shouting my name. "Ella! Ella! Turn around! What are we going to do, Ell, our plan might be ruined! What if he sees you? Oh God, Ella, what are we going to do?"

I slowly turned, partly because I was dreading what I would find behind me, partly because my current swollen state made it difficult for quick turns without toppling. What I saw made my heart drop to the pit of my stomach, and my entire being was filled with a sense of dread.

A beautiful vessel was making her way towards us, her wood, painted black, shining in the sun and her black sails held taut in the wind. "Bloody hell." I swore.

&&&

_Jack Sparrow stole around the spacious cabin with the stealth and grace of one practiced at this "art". He knew they were headed somewhere important, probably somewhere with treasure, and he wanted a part in it. After rifling through papers as quietly as possible by the sparse light that was let in by the cabin window, he found what he as looking for. Quickly, Jack copied down the coordinates and stuck the scrap of paper in his coat. Just as he did, the sound of a gun being cocked split the silence, quickly followed by a lamp's light casting a gentle golden glow._

_Captain Morgan's voice rang out: "How dare you trespass into my private quarters."_

_Thinking quickly, Jack staggered over to Captain Morgan, a sloppy smile on his face and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "'Ello there, Captain Morgan. I though' tha' this be me cabin, but it appears tha' I've been mistaken, 'asn't it?" Smiling drunkenly, he saluted Morgan, who grumbled something about drunken idiots, and left the room, closing the door and then smiling triumphantly. _

&&&

I looked around wildly for some means of escape as the Black Pearl drew nearer and nearer to the Poseidon's Wrath. I was, by now, noticeably pregnant, to say the least, and I did not, under any circumstances, want Jack to see me now. Trying to keep a level head, I made my way over to Charlotte, who was past panicking and was now trying to rapidly think up a plan.

It was decided that I would stay in my cabin, in bed, with blankets piled around me to conceal my now-obvious condition. If Jack asked anyone, I was severely ill and was to be kept on bed rest. Charlotte would do her best to distract him, but knowing Jack he'd force his way down to my cabin anyway. If that happened, I really wasn't sure what course of action I'd take, but I figured that I'd think of something if the situation arose.

Sure enough, I heard the heavy pounding of boots of the stairs, and then lighter, quicker footsteps, probably of Charlotte trying to convince Jack that I wasn't in condition for visitors.

I heard his voice even before I saw the door swing open.

"Who are you? I don't even know who ye are. All I know is tha' Gabby woul' _love_ ta' see ol' Jack, no matter wha' state she be in. GAB!"

I mustered up a loud, hacking cough. "Don't come in, Jack, you'll catch what I've got. And I must tell you, it's 'orrible," I said, weakly, but it was of no avail.

He barged right in, grabbed a bottle of rum from my store, and offered some to me, which I refused on account of my present condition. After refusing the rum, he gave me a calculating stare and as he opened his mouth, I was sure that my charade was over, that he had found out, and I was done for...

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A cliffy! But seriously, I'm disheartened with this story. Ella is a Mary-Sue and I'm feeling quite badly about it, considering that in the first chapter I told you all that she wouldn't be. Any suggestions to make her better? Also, I'll be posting another story sometime in the near future that I'm hoping people will take a liking to. Look for it.

Read and review, loves, I really could use some help here!

Yours,

--Ella

_Captain Ella Raven_


	24. Chapter 24

I'M BACK! After serious consideration and whatnot, and doing some work on this story off the computer, I've decided that, yes, Ella is a Mary-Sue to some sort of extreme, but you all can deal with it. If you've come this far with me, obviously you've taken a liking to it. If not, turn back now, mates. :) Yeah. So. There's going to be several more chapters, I'm thinking there will be about Thirty to Thirty-Five in the story, and then there will probably be a sequel, considering that I've already started to write it. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed with words of encouragement, I love you all. And now I feel the need to make a plug for my new story, Becoming My Mother's Daughter. I'm not getting as much response as I have on this one... But anyway, Happy Holidays everyone, and enjoy.

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

I was, to put in plainly, screwed. My mind was racing at a million miles a minute, but I could think of no plausible way to get myself out of this mess, besides jumping out the window, which wasn't plausible in the least. I had been looking at my hands, down at the seemingly hundreds of comforters piled around me, anywhere but Jack. For when I did, I instantly regretted it.

He had been staring at me, openmouthed, his eyes gazing at me, cold and steely. Accusingly. And when he spoke, it wasn't Captain Jack Sparrow that I heard. It wasn't the mocking, teasing, flirting, drunken manner that he used with nearly everyone, but without its usual slur or pirate slang. "So, Gabriella. Have you finally gotten with Wesley, or do you have a new victim that you've pushed yourself onto? I see that I didn't mean nearly as much to you as you said."

I started, genuinely confused. He actually thought that these babies were someone's other than him? I started to speak, to correct him, but he cut me off. "You know what? I don't even care about the plunder anymore. Take your gold, your jewels, and your children 'Captain Ella Raven'. I hope you're cursed, you deceitful whore. I genuinely thought you wanted your soul back. Did you lie about that too? What is really in that box of yours? Hmm?" And with that, he left in a rage, slamming the door with such a force that the whole ship seemed to rock a bit more.

I heard the jeering of Jack's crew as they passed by us, and I heard the cabin door open as I absently gazed out the window, at the retreating form of the _Black Pearl_. "Ella?" Charlotte said quietly, "What was that all about?"

I considered my options. I could tell Charlotte, pour my heart out to her, cry to her, tell her everything that had happened and what I regretted, but then I realized that I didn't want that. I didn't want Charlotte's pity, as much as I had come to admire and respect her, and love her for being my half-sister. So instead, I turned to her with a steely gaze, equivalent to Jack's.

"Nothing, Charlotte. I'm fine. Tell Grandfather that I'd like to get onto the island as fast as possible. I need my soul back or something will happen to my children."

That night, I cried until I had no tears left. And then, without tears, I was left dry, barren and void of all emotions and feelings. My only goal was to get my soul, and get on land. I wanted no part of the _Poseidon's Wrath_ anymore, for it only held memories.

&&&

The longboat hit the sand with a thud, and a bluish figure appeared as soon as my bare feet touched the sand. She was beautiful, dressed in a flowing white gown, with long hair that spiraled and twirled around her, as if being blown about by an invisible breeze. Her eyes, though, were what captivated everyone present. They were the sea, the ever-changing blues and grays, rising and falling with each swell of the waves. It was then that I knew who this must be, and I breathed the one word that curled her lips into a smile:

"_Calypso_."

She smiled, and spoke. "Yes, I am Calypso, goddess of the sea and assigned guardian of this island until the prophecy is fulfilled. You are Ella Raven, are you not?"

I nodded, with a whispered, "Aye." "Come, Ella," she beckoned, and I walked until I could have felt her breath on my face.

She gently placed a hand on my stomach, one that was cool, beating with the rising of each wave. She truly was the heart and soul of the ocean. She smiled. "I feel three heartbeats. _Two heirs by the one that laughed at fate,_" she recited. "They are Jack Sparrow's, are they not?" Again I nodded.

She turned, then, to address my Grandfather. "You, you are Captain Henry Morgan. You may take this crew to retrieve your treasure, but on one condition: you leave the heart of Davy Jones here, with me. It is rightfully mine, and I intend to keep it that way from now on." My Grandfather appeared resistant, and it was then the sea swelled beneath our feet and the skies darkened menacingly. He reluctantly approached Calypso, his feet dragging in the waters, and handed her the bag. She held it to her ear, and heard the reassuring 'thump, thump' of the organ inside, and smiled.

"You may enter, but first you need to give your granddaughter what she desires."

&&&

After several trips back to the ship to retrieve more men and more boats for the treasure, Grandfather dropped the key into my hand, and I turned it over in my palm, feeling for the first time what had kept a part of me locked up for so long. I sat on the beach, with the chest between my legs, the key in my hand. It was then that Calypso appeared to me.

"Open it," she said with a smile.

So I did. I unlocked the chest, and the lock opened with a loud, satisfying 'click'. I hesitantly opened the cover, afraid that something might go wrong, something horrid where I'd lose my own life, and my children's as well. Slowly, I lifted the cover off and was immediately shocked.

There I lay, limbs neatly tucked in, appearing to be sleeping peacefully. My limp form looked like Calypso, but in much worse shape. I heard a 'tsk-tsk' noise and turned to face Calypso, who shook her head. "You are just in time. See how faint the outlines are? If you had been any later, you would have lost your soul for all eternity, doomed to wander the earth forever, still searching for it. Now take it, you must, for the sake of your children, and yourself." And with that, she beckoned, and I reached a hand out and grasped my ghostly hand.

There was a bolt of blinding light, and a tingle that spread from my fingertips to my whole body as the ghostly, limp form dissolved and each piece was sucked into my body. I glowed brightly for a moment, and then faded, color coming back into my skin that I hadn't remembered, and a light coming into my eyes that hadn't been seen for years. Calypso smiled, and placed her hand once again on my belly, frowning slightly.

"It was not quick enough, but the effects will not be fatal. One of your children will have a mark, Ella, that your soul was once not in your body. She may turn out to be a powerful sorceress, or she may turn out to be a master of the elements. One can never tell, now, but keep her safe. She needs to be kept safe."

And, right before my eyes, Calypso disappeared, gone on the sea breeze, as the crew carried out the last of the treasure, and I boarded the _Poseidon's Wrath_ again, bound for Port Royal.

I looked back on the island with a bit of remorse. My grand adventure, rapidly coming to a close. And now that I had been branded a pirate, I'd have to be careful, but not only for my sake. I'd have to dance skillfully, avoiding danger at all costs, in order to keep my life, but I was whole again. That piece, that had been missing for so long, was now filled.

But I was still partly empty, and that worried me. Deep down, though, I knew why.

&&&

Yay for updates! Please read & review both of my stories, and I'll love you all forever. (Even though I love you already, but I'll love you even more!!)

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Yours,

--Ella.

_Captain Ella Raven._


	25. Chapter 25

Hello loves. I'm sorry to report that this is the last chapter of The Soul of Poseidon's Wrath. There will be a sequel, probably titled The Heart of Poseidon's Wrath, so look for it. I'd like to take a minute to express my deepest thanks to all of my reviewers. You all have been with me this far, and I don't think that I could have come this far without you all. Thanks from the bottom of my black, weasly guts. And now, the final chapter of my tale. Enjoy, and review.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

The day that they had left Calypso's Island, as they came to call it, Captain Ella Raven's crew noticed a change in their captain. For months now, she'd been different, a moodier woman, almost to the point of being and emotional train wreck, and she'd changed yet again. For one thing, she barely spoke, which was completely uncharacteristic of the Ella Raven that they all knew; a woman who took her position as captain to the extreme, always shouting orders and commands in a loud yell. Now, she would often stand at the helm or by the railings for hours on end, glaring at the water and the waves that lapped against the side of the ship with a steely gaze, almost daring it to try to match her.

Sometimes, she'd stand at the bow, hands resting atop her swollen belly, her mouth a hard line and her eyebrows furrowed, eyes unfocused and glaring at nothing of this world, letting the wind whip at her clothes and toss her hair about, the sun beating down upon her.

The crew, Henry Morgan, Charlotte, Wesley, Blair and Cailan (for they had become crew), all watched her and worried, each for different reasons, but all sharing the same concern: was the infamous Captain Ella Raven going mad?

No one could picture the Poseidon's Wrath without Ella somewhere one it, whether it be adjusting knots, checking sails, plotting courses or steering at the helm. The crew talked amongst themselves; they had grown so used to serving under Ella that they refused mutiny, and had decided to not crew for Henry Morgan, if he decided to take over the ship as they feared.

The days passed by quite quickly, but a tense silence had settled over the ship and its occupants. Sailors went about their daily routines without the usual chatter and noise, but in silence, often turning to glance at their captain, making sure she didn't jump overboard as they often thought she might. They had served under her, one of the only woman pirates to sail the Caribbean, since she was newly captain, and practically still a young woman, so they had become quite attached to her, looking over her as older brothers might. They had come to respect her, not only for being an honest and shrewd woman, but for being what she was: a pirate.

&&&

One afternoon, after being at the helm all night and all morning, Captain Ella Raven summoned Wesley to her cabin. He shut the door behind him, gazing on the sight that was the woman he thought of as a sister and friend.

Her hair had been neatly combed and plaited into a braid, instead of its normal wild tangles and curls, and though the ever-present lavender bandana remained, she had found a clean one, holding back wisps of hair. The canary diamond still hung around her neck, but she had changed into a clean shirt and breeches. Color was in her cheeks that hadn't been there in ages, and her blue eyes reflected the calm, Caribbean sea just below them.

When he entered, she had a faraway look in her eye, gazing out the large window, but when she heard the door, she snapped to attention, her eyes becoming focused once more and her lips curling into a warm smile. "Wesley," she greeted him, beckoning him to sit down at a chair she indicated on the opposite side of her desk. She sighed, and continued. "You an' I have been though a lot, haven't we? We've seen so much, made a name for the Poseidon's Wrath. And I could not have done it without a first mate such as yourself." Her brow furrowed in thought, and she took a deep breath before continuing. "Which is why I would like you to be her captain from now on. She's yours."

Wesley's eyes widened, and he took a moment to process just exactly what Ella had just told him. "Surely, Ella – Captain – you cannot mean that! The Poseidon's Wrath is yours. I would be honored to captain her, for she's such a fine ship, but she's yours. Your grandfather gave her to----," he started, but Ella interrupted. "And my grandfather is a scheming, lying bastard, a quality that reveals itself more and more with each passing day," she said calmly.

"But I still don't understand, Ella. This ship... she's your life! Your pride and joy!" Wesley said, confused. "Was, Wes, was. Soon, I'll have to go to shore to deliver my children, and what's keeping me from staying there? Who ever heard of a pirate captain with _children_. It's ridiculous. And besides, I'm getting to pathetic to even be considered a pirate. Pirates don't fall in love. Pirates don't cry. I'm a embarrassment to piracy, for god's sake. There's nothing keeping me here anymore, Wes. Only memories, and some of them I'd do well to forget."

She paused, looking out the window at the sea, and toyed with the end of her braid. "Sure, I'll hear her calling for me. I'll feel it in my bones, that aching. I'll feel the beckoning of the sea every time I feel the wind whip my face or the salty spray, but it is where it ends for me. She's yours, if you'll have her. 'Take care of her, and she'll take care of you'. That's what my grandfather told me when I got her, and I'm telling you the same. Please, Wes. Take care of her."

&&&

Two days later, the Poseidon's Wrath docked on the far side of Port Royal in a secluded bay, close to where Ella grew up with her grandfather. Men from the crew, satisfied with their new captain, were carrying things out of the Captain's quarters to a grand house that sat on a cliff, overlooking the bay and the sea beyond it, one that Ella had built when she'd first began her successful pirating career.

And then she emerged from below deck, Ella Raven herself, shielding her eyes to the sun and watching the waves for a moment, as they sparkled in the midday sun. She strode towards the helm, running her hands over the smooth wood, taking in the power beneath her fingertips, gazing lovingly at what had brought her through so many storms, so many battles at sea. And then she made her way over to the main mast, standing majestically, tilting her head back to gaze at the crisp white sails, billowing in the breeze. She leaned her forehead against the wood of the mast, and closing her eyes, felt the rock of the wood underneath her feet.

And then, whispering a barely audible, "Goodbye love, and... thank ye," she quickly ran her fingertips over the salty wood and turned to Wesley, speaking the words that she knew would alter her life, for good.

"She's all yours."

&&&

Once the crew had helped her settle into her new house, Ella followed them out to the cliff on the one side of the house, overlooking the sea. It was there that they dug a hole, not too deep, but not too shallow either, and placed her chest in it. It was what she wanted. As she heard the resounding thump of the dirt hitting the wood of the chest, Ella was surprised to find that she felt barely any sorrow, barely any remorse. There were no tears, only a strange sort of... peace. Wesley and Cailan, aided by several others, lowered a plain stone onto the ground over the buried chest, with an inscription etched into its surface:

_Here lies Captain Ella Raven_

_May the wind always be at your back,_

_And the sun on your face._

_Rest in Peace._

It was what she wanted, and as she approached it, she reminded herself again that it was time. She bent down with difficulty, her fingertips grazing the cool stone, and stood again, brushing the dirt off of her knees, and turned around.

"Gabriella Rosario Mercedes Rodriguez Leon, along with her alter ego, Captain Ella Raven, are gone from this place, buried under the stone you see here. I am Esperanza Morgan, widowed second cousin of the deceased captain. This is who I'll be until the day that I die. Don't refer to me as Gabriella or Ella any longer, for they are gone. I am Esperanza, and will be until the day that I die."

&&&

Charlotte approached Esperanza, whom we've formerly known as Ella, later that day, as the Poseidon's Wrath was preparing to set sail, sitting on a boulder near the 'grave'. She was surprised to see the steely determination and easy confidence back into her half-sister's eyes that had been absent as of late. And then it occurred to Charlotte: she was determined to survive without a vital part of her life, and she'd be damned if it didn't happen.

Charlotte spoke quietly a question that had been on her mind since the 'funeral'. "Why Esperanza?"

Without tearing her gaze from the waves and the ship that was sailing out of the harbor, she replied in a quiet, but strong and clear voice:

"Esperanza, in Spanish, means hope. Hope for a new life, a new beginning. Hope for a new horizon."

**THE END.**

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Well, did you all like the ending? I tried to bring back that strong Ella that we saw in the beginning. Please review, and keep a weathered eye out for the sequel, The Heart of Poseidon's Wrath. Thank you all.

Yours,

--Ella.

_Captain Ella Raven._


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